Sisters
by justwanttologin
Summary: Bella is Leah's younger step sister, this is the story of their life together.
1. Chapter 1

Sisters

I don't want a sister; I already have a brother that drives me nuts. I like my family just the way it was. 10 year old me, 5 year old Seth, my mom and my stepdad Charlie. My dad died soon after Seth was born. I feel bad for Seth since I got to know my dad and he never did.

But now Charlie's little girl, Bella is moving in with us. Something about her mother not being able to take care of her like she's supposed to. Maybe this is selfish but I don't want to share Charlie. He's been my dad for the last 3 years and I'm afraid he won't love me anymore with his real daughter here.

Seth is excited because she's 5 like him.

Dad just went to get her from the airport where she is flying in with her uncle or something. Mom baked cookies and yesterday they went and bought her all new stuff for her room. I'm jealous but every time I say anything they tell me Bella has had a hard life, she needs to feel welcomed. But she's NOT welcome!

"Lee what is hard about her life?" Seth asks me and I tell him I don't know. She probably just wants attention.

An hour later she comes in hiding behind Dad and I almost feel bad for pre-hating her. She's tiny first of all, she's the same age as Seth but she's much tinier. And she has bruises all on her arm and legs. Her hair is all matted up. She's almost cute under all the bad stuff.

"Bella this is Seth and Leah and Sue. Can you say hi?" She buries her head in his legs so he sighs and picks her up.

"Hi Bella, I'm Sue. We are very happy you are here. Are you hungry?" My mom asks her and she nods yes really quickly then buries her head again.

Then a man walks in, I guess it's her uncle.

"Uncle Mark I don't want to stay here. Take me home to my mommy. She's sorry, she told me. She didn't mean to hurt me. Please?" She begs him and he looks really sad as he picks her up.

"Bella, she did mean to hurt you and she would keep doing it. This is your father and I know you don't know him but that's only because mommy didn't tell him about you. He loves you and so does Sue OK baby girl? I will visit you whenever I can. I love you baby girl so much. But this is the best place for you." He tells her sadly.

Her mom didn't tell her dad about her? That's very mean. I don't like her mommy.

"Come on baby girl, let's get you some lunch. Then I have to go. I have to make sure mommy gets the help she needs." Her uncle tells her and we all go into the kitchen where my mom is pulling frozen pizzas out of the oven. Seth and I sit at the table and wait but Bella just looks around. So Seth gets up and grabs her hand and leads her to the table. She smiles a little and sits down. And dad and her uncle sit with us while my mom makes plates for everyone.

Bella eats quietly and quickly while everyone else talks and laughs and takes their time.

"Baby girl, this isn't like with mommy. You are allowed to talk and you don't always have to hurry." She nods her head yes but continues on the same.

I decide then I'm not going to hate her, she is my sister and I will love her.


	2. Chapter 2

Leah's POV

For a few months after she moves in with us Bella will only talk to Dad and Seth, mostly Seth. She whispers to him and he tells whoever whatever. Mom thinks she needs therapy, Dad thinks she needs time. Seth really has no idea what's going on and I don't know what to do with her.

She wakes up at night screaming and Dad runs in there and gets her to go back to sleep and it all starts over a few hours later. No one sleeps anymore except Seth because he sleeps through anything.

"Bella?" I ask her quietly as I walk into her room, she gets scared so easily.

"Um, what Lee?" I hate Lee but Seth calls me that and she got it from him.

"I know we aren't very close but do you want to try sleeping with me tonight? It might help you sleep better, you know without all the screaming."

"I don't want to keep you awake. I think I kick." She tells me and I think at least she's talking to me.

"It's OK really Bella. We can just try if you want."

"You really want me too?" She asks and I tell her yes. "Why?"

"You're my sister."

So that night she sleeps with me and even though she does kick like crazy she sleeps all night so the kicking is totally worth it and I tell her she can sleep with me every night if she wants. At first she still hardly talks to me but one night we are lying in bed in the dark she starts telling me about her mom and things she did to her and how lonely and scared she was. And how now she gets tired of people telling her to eat more and talk more.

"I like all of you Lee but I don't want to eat or talk more." She tells me quietly.

"OK Bella tomorrow we will talk to Mom and Dad together. But they worry about you is all, that's what good parents do. They love you." I tell her.

"Do you love me Lee?" She asks and I tell her yes I do.

"Then I love you too."

After that night she talks to me every night and then the next day we tell Mom and Dad anything she wants to tell them together.

For about a month she only talks to me at night until one day after I get home from school she shows me a picture she drew for me of us together.

"Thanks Bella, I love it!" She smiles and then asks me if I can help her make cookies. I feel bad for mom because I know Bella still doesn't talk to her.

"I will Bella but can Mom help too?" I try and she hesitates.

"What if I do something wrong? Will she be mad?" I'm not really sure how you can make cookies wrong but I tell her that no, she won't get mad at her.

"Promise?" I promise her and she says OK so I go find Mom and tell her Bella wants her to make us make cookies. She looks like she doesn't believe me but comes anyway.

We make 4 different kinds of cookies and the kitchen is such a mess Mom calls Dad to bring dinner home. Bella and Seth who came in shortly after we started are covered in flour and who knows what else.

After that she doesn't avoid Mom anymore.

Once Dad gets home with dinner we eat and Bella eats almost as much as Seth and she talks more than she has ever.

After she goes upstairs to get her bath mom and dad tell Seth to go play in his room and I know they want to talk to me and I start worrying.

"Thank you so much Leah for everything you're doing with Bella. I know you convinced her to let me help today and I know you listen to her every night and I know she kicks. You're a great big sister, I love you." My mom tells me.

"Thank you mom, I really do love her."

"Leah if you don't mind Bella sleeping with you for a while, until either of you decides not too then I wanted to know if you wanted to move her bed in there. Then she can feel safe I think is what you make her feel but not so crowded." Dad asks me and I tell him yeah that's fine as long as she's OK with it.

We ask and she says yes she would like that so the next weekend dad moves her bed into my room and slowly I realize that even though she's only 5 she's one of my favorite people.


	3. Chapter 3

Leah's POV

Today is Bella and Seth's first day of school and my first day of middle school. I want to be excited but she is killing the mood.

"Bella, it's going to be fun!" Seth tells her.

"No! I want to stay here with Mom! I'm not going!" She screams.

"Bella you have to go. It will be fun, new friends, cool stuff to learn." I tell her just glares at me.

"Bella if you go we can go anywhere you want for dinner tonight." Dad tells her because if all else fails there is bribery.

"The place with the trees?" She asks and they look at her confused.

"She means the Rainforest Café." I tell him. We went there a few weeks ago and she was totally in awe of the moving monkey and elephant and the thunder and lightning.

"That's an hour away honey." He tells her.

"You said anywhere Daddy." She says sweetly.

"OK Bella we can go there but only if you promise to go to school every day for the whole year with no more fussing." He tells her, she thinks about it for a minute then agrees.

We drop Seth and Bella off first and since it is the first day we walk them in to their classes. Bella is still upset but she's trying to be good because she really loves the Rainforest Café.

"Take care of her Seth." I tell him. Dad arranged it so they could be in the same class due to Bella's past; he thought it would be easier for her to be with someone she feels safe with.

"I always take care of her Lee." He tells me. "But I don't know if I'm going to be enough. She really doesn't want to be here. She only stopped crying because she wants to go to the place with the trees."

How hard is it to say Rainforest Café?

I remember my first day of school, I cried too and Daddy, my first Dad gave me a necklace, a chain with a heart so I could remember that no matter where he and mom where I was in their hearts. I wear it every day. Oh!

"Bella, come here." She comes over and I take my necklace off and put it around her neck. "This is special to me Bella, my dad, my other dad, gave it to me on my first day of school. It's a heart, so you know that no matter where I am you're in my heart. It's yours now; just take care of it OK? I'll think about you all day today OK? I love you."

"You're really giving me your favorite necklace Lee?" She asks quietly and I say yes.

"Thank you. I love you." She smiles a little then we have to go and her and Seth wave bye to us.

"You OK Leah?" Dad asks once we get in the car to take me to school.

"Yeah I'm fine why?" I ask him even though I know why.

"Your Dad gave you that necklace." Is all he says.

"She needed it, just like I needed it. Do you think my dad would be mad I gave it to her?"

"Oh Leah your dad would be so proud of you, just like I am. I know sometimes Bella gets extra attention and special treatment, like tonight but I am so proud of you and I love you so much." He says.

"It's OK, she needs extra attention and special treatment and it's not like I'm neglected. I know you worry about me and Seth but we're fine." I tell him and he smiles.

"See you this evening." he tells me as I get out at the school.

The day goes by fast and I have my best friend Emily in all my classes.

Mom picks me up with Bella and Seth already in the car.

"Hey how was your day?" I ask them and they both say good and start telling me about new friends and snack time and the class goldfish.

"How was your day Lee?" Bella asks and I told her it was great but I missed her.

"Mommy, we don't have to go to the place with the trees tonight if Dad doesn't want to."

"He doesn't mind Bella." She says and Bella argues saying he said it was too far. "It was early honey we all like the Rainforest Café, it will be fun." She assures her.

Once we get home Seth and Bella run off to Jake's and I am about to go next door to Emily's when mom stops me.

"Dad told me about the necklace Leah. That was very sweet of you, your daddy would be proud."

"You're not upset?" I ask her.

"Of course not sweetheart, something so good could never make me upset. Come back in an hour OK?" She smiles and I go to Emily's.

Not quite an hour later Bella knocks on the door saying Emily can come with us, Jake is coming too.

Bella and Seth and Jake talk the whole way there and Emily and I just laugh at them a lot. She's an only child so she adores all three of them.

Once we get there Bella goes silent, she really likes this place, and it's a little weird. Once she tells Seth what she wants to order, she still won't to must strangers and sometimes she still talks through Seth she just sits there staring at the trees and the monkey and elephant and she laughs every time it starts thundering. She's crazy. But in a good way mostly.

On the drive home Bella sits next to me and plays with my, I guess hers now, necklace.

"Thank you again for the necklace Lee, everything I got sad or scared or worried I thought about you and I was OK." She tells me quietly.

"You're welcome and I'm glad it helps Bella." She lays her head on my shoulder and goes to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Leah's POV

"Leah have you seen Bella?" Mom asks me and I tell her no, I think she's at Jake's but she says no she already checked. Bella hardly ever stays alone; she's always with one of us.

"Where are Dad and Seth?" I ask her and she tells me they are downstairs watching a movie so I get up to help her look.

It's pouring outside and thundering and lightening so she has to be in the house right?

"Charlie pause the movie and help us find Bella." Mom says a little frantically.

"Maybe she got scared of the storm and is hiding in a closet." Seth suggests, but he's not really that worried about her and that's weird.

So I get him the kitchen alone and ask him where she is.

"She made me promise not to tell."

"Seth mom is flipping out and Bella never goes off alone. Where is she?" I demand and he says she's outside in her tree.

Great my 7 year old sister is sitting in a thunderstorm in a tree!

"Go tell Mom and Dad, I am going to go get her!" I yell at him and run outside to her tree. She goes there when she's sad or worried and Seth won't let anyone else in it.

"Bella you have to come down right now!" I yell up to her.

"But it's so pretty Lee." She yells back.

I start climbing up to get her when Dad yells to stop, he will get her. I watch as he tries but she's so little she's higher than he can get so he finally lets me go up telling me to push her out if I have too. I guess broken bones are preferable to being in a tree that gets struck by lightning.

"Bella you have to come down, you could get hurt. Dad says I have to push you out if you won't come." I tell her and she looks sad.

"Can I watch it from down there?" she asks and I tell her probably from inside.

"Then no."

"Why is this storm so important to watch?" I ask her.

"The storms saved me from my mom." She says and I'm thinking OK, I need help. I can hear dad screaming to get her down but I'm not really going to push her.

"How Bella?" I ask not sure if I'm helping or just curious.

"My mom and Uncle Mark weren't very close so I didn't see him a lot even though he lived close; she was always mean to him. But one night it was storming really bad, like this and he couldn't get home because the streets were flooded so he stopped to stay the night. She didn't hear the door because of the storm so he just walked in and he saw her hurting me. It saved me." She says like that makes perfect sense.

"OK Bella, I will help you find a safe place to watch your storm if you just come down OK?" She reluctantly agrees and climbs down after me. But the tree is wet and it's dark and she's freezing and she falls about half way down. Luckily Dad catches her but when he goes to carry her in she screams I promised she could watch the storm.

I tell them her story and he says fine but she has to go in and get dried off and changed first, then she can sit on the porch. She runs upstairs and comes down minutes later in dry clothes and she, Seth and I sit on the porch until the whole store passes.

Seth asks her if this is why she likes the place with the trees so much and she says yeah she thinks so.

Strange, strange child.

"Thank you Lee, for coming to get me and for getting Dad to let me watch."

She wakes up the next day with a killer cold that she passes around the whole family.

Ever thunder storm that passes she sits on the porch and watches, usually with Seth and I and after so many it's not really weird anyone. It's just our thing.


	5. Chapter 5

Leah's POV

"Lee what do you want for your birthday?" Bella asks me and I'm pretty sure Mom sent her in here to do it.

"A boyfriend." I answer her and she rolls her eyes and says something that can legally be bought at the store.

"Can you illegally buy boyfriends at the store Bella?" I tease her and she says she's pretty sure you can, you can buy anything online at least. Hmm, she's probably right but how she knows this is beyond me.

"Seriously though I want a camera."

"Where do you want to go for lunch?" She asks and I tell her the place with the trees and I want Emily to come and Jake since Bella always invites Emily to her stuff for me. She tells me I don't have to invite Jake because no matter what she'll still have Seth.

"I don't mind Jake coming." And she smiles. She's so easy to make happy.

"Why are you being the message person Bella?"

"I'm not sure what it means but Mom told Dad it's that time of the month for you and you're moody and you're only being nice to me. So that's why. What does it mean Lee, what time of the month?"

I throw a pillow at her and tell her I will explain when the time is right. At least she'll have me to explain it instead of mom who spent all afternoon crying about her baby growing up.

"Whatever then. I'm going to Jake's with Seth, see you later." She leaves and I hear her scream at Seth and then silence. We live in a small town but there are better options for her than Seth and Jake, there are girls her age but when I tried to set them up together Bella ignored them. She likes boys, she's going to be that girl everyone hates because the boys hang all over her but she's also going to be the girl who doesn't notice the boys hanging all over her.

I cannot believe mom called me moody. I hate her.

(One week later)

"Happy Birthday!" Bella squeals as soon as I come down the stairs. I want to be annoyed because it's really early but her happiness is infectious.

"Thank you. Why are awake so early and banging pots and pans around?" Which is woke me up.

"I'm making breakfast. Mom and Dad are still sleeping and Seth and I are hungry." Seth nods his head.

"Let me help you, what are you attempting to make?"

"Pancakes and I don't want help. It's your birthday, I will make you breakfast too. Sit." She demands and I watch her as she orders Seth around and try not to laugh. He's a lot taller than her so she points and he gets it for her.

A couple of times I try to help but she glares at me and makes me sit back down. She makes apple pancakes and eggs and it's good even if the kitchen is a mess. She won't let me help her clean up either choosing instead to make Seth help her but he does it happily because he really likes food and now Bella is one more person who can cook for him.

"Does mom know you come in here and cook by yourself?" I ask her and she says she doesn't know but she does it almost every Saturday.

"So every Saturday you come down here with Seth and make breakfast then clean up without anyone knowing?" I ask her and she says yes because usually Seth doesn't drop the pot that probably woke me up.

"Always pancakes?" I ask her and she says not always, sometimes muffins and sometimes biscuits with bacon and eggs and sometimes cinnamon rolls.

I always thought mom made that stuff when it was in the kitchen after I woke up. I wonder who mom thinks made them.

When Mom tells her she laughs because she thought it was me and Dad laughs because I don't cook anything, ever.

"Am I in trouble?" Bella asks and they tell her no of course not, just to be careful. She smiles happily.

Emily comes over a couple of hours later and Mom hands me my camera, it's a really nice camera, more than I expected. Bella and Seth give me a picture they painted together and Emily gives me makeup.

We go to the place with the trees and it's all fun but next to us is a girl that looks just a little older than me with her boyfriend and it makes me jealous. I want a boyfriend. Boys don't seem to notice me though. I excuse myself to the restroom and Bella follows me which annoys me.

"Leah you just turned 14, you don't need to worry about boys."

"You're 9 Bella; I don't need advice from you. Like you would even understand. Everyone loves you. I'm sure when you're my age boys will be all over you."

"Not everyone loves me Lee." She says sadly and I look at her. I don't know why she's sad.

"Of course they do. You're perfect Bella." I tell her a bit more bitterly than I meant for it to come out.

"My mom didn't love me." She whispers and tears are rolling down her cheeks. "I was never perfect enough for her." Now I feel like crap.

"Oh Bella your mom had issues. It wasn't you."

"That's what everyone says but nobody really knows but this isn't about me and my mom. This is about you being sad that you don't have a boyfriend when you're 14. Even if you had one Dad wouldn't late you date him and have you ever heard a love story that started with 14 year olds?" She asks and I roll my eyes at her. How is it possible that my 9 year old sister is smarter than me?

"I love you Lee and one day I will plan your wedding but for now you're stuck with us."

"I can think of worse things I guess." She smiles and we go back to finish our lunch and the girl with the guy don't bother me anymore because Bella's right; no love story starts at 14.


	6. Chapter 6

Bella! Have you been using my make up again?" I scream down the hall from her. She's so annoying!

"Lee stop yelling at her!" Seth yells back at me being his always so protective self.

"I'm sorry Lee, I ran out and I needed it for school yesterday. I can pay you back but can you take me to the store for more?" She asks me innocently but I know it's an act. It's a good act though and almost always works.

"Don't worry about it Bella and yes I will take you later today to buy more." She has more money than I do because she babysits on the weekends and she helps Seth and Jake mow lawns (and somehow talked them into getting the biggest share, probably because she has Jake under some love spell and Seth will give her just about anything she wants. The thing is I don't even think she realizes what she does to them). "Do you want to go to the city?" we live in a small town, a tiny little town and the city is about an hour away but the options are way better.

"No actually I just want to go to store here." She says like she's hiding something.

"Why? The make up at the mall is way better than the crap at the drugstore. We can make a day of it. I need some new pants too. We can have lunch and everything." I tell her hopefully, I like shopping with her and I hate going alone.

"Oh fine. But can we do it tomorrow then? I'm helping the boys in an hour and I'm babysitting this evening." She says unexcitedly.

"Sure, sounds great!" She nods and leaves my room. "Bella, wait! What is at the drugstore that you want so badly?" I ask her.

"Nothing! I was just going to hang out with Embry tomorrow and now I won't have time." Oh it's a boy!

"You like, like Embry don't you?" Embry is one of Jake and Seth's friends but they don't hang out with him as much since they spend so much time doing lawns and Embry helps his mom out in her flower shop a lot, Bella spends time with him when she can, I think because he's a break from Seth and Jake since she works with them a lot and she doesn't like to hang out with girls.

"No I don't like Embry I like…" She thinks for a minute. "I mean yeah I like Embry." She's acting weird. Oh! Oh! No way.

"You like Sam don't you?" Sam is Embry's older brother. Older as in my age as in too old for her, she just stares at me and I know I have her figured out. "He's too old for you Bella." He's 18, she's only 13!

"One day he won't be. And it's not like I'm trying to be with him. I just like being around him! He's sweet and funny and nothing like Jake or Seth or Embry. And he shows me stuff, he knows a lot. He lets me help him in the garden and with his car. Don't say anything to anyone OK Lee? Please?" she begs me and I tell her fine but not to let this go too far. I don't want her to get hurt. I know Sam well enough from school to know he wouldn't purposely hurt her but if she reads more into spending time with him than him just being nice she will get hurt. She's never shown interest in a guy besides as friends and now she picks one 5 years older. Of course she's right in 5 years, 5 years won't matter but it matters now. A lot.

"Thanks Lee I gotta go get ready to go with Seth." She runs off to change into crappy clothes. She is one of the only girls I know that can look hot doing anything. When she mows lawns she usually wears shorts and one of Seth's way too big shirts tied at the waist with her hair tied up and I'm pretty sure she's the reason they get so much business.

Then when she babysits she usually wears sweats and a plain t-shirt and still she looks good.

When she dresses up she is so stunningly beautiful I'm surprised Dad lets her out of the house. Of course she can only go out with me or Seth unless she's going to Jake's or Embry's. He would probably change that if he noticed and knew why she took just a few minutes extra to get ready to see _Embry._

She only wears make up to school and Embry's. How did I not see this sooner? I should have at least thought she was into Embry, I didn't notice anything at all. I'm a terrible big sister.


	7. Chapter 7

Leah's POV

The next day we eat breakfast together then head into the city. We talk about school and her babysitting and she finally starts talking about Sam.

"Am I being stupid Lee? I mean I know he's too old for me and he's never going to like me but is it stupid to still spend what time I can with him?" She asks and I have don't have a clue what to tell her.

"I guess it's fine Bella as long as you don't forget he's too old for you and you don't let it keep you from at least considering guys your age." Dad would kill me. I should be telling her no boys. "What does Embry think about all this?"

"He knows I like Sam and he says he's cool with it even though he's too old for me. I really do like Embry; he's a great friend more than Jake even. I do hang out with him too. Sam isn't always there when I go." Hmm, if Embry knows there is a good chance Sam knows too.

We get into the city and spend the rest of the day shopping for makeup and clothes and she buys an iPad.

"Holy crap Bella, where did you get all that money?" I ask her.

"Well I babysit or mow lawns almost every day and I get paid well… And I hardly ever spend any of it. Plus my uncle just sent me $200 for my birthday plus my allowance from mom and dad. I actually still have $1000 left." She says as if this is perfectly normal for a 13 year old.

Damn. I work 3 days a week at the vet as a receptionist and I blow it all as soon as I get my paycheck, same with my allowance and I'm pretty sure Seth does the same thing. She probably has her whole future planned out too.

"What are you plans for the future Bella?" I ask her and she thinks.

"I kind of want to open a restaurant." And I'm sure she will. "Or design clothes and sell them in my own shop. Also I want a horse." Random much? She sighs then is suddenly interested in an ugly shirt.

"What else Bella?" I ask her and she looks at me thinking about it.

"It's nothing Lee, I'm hungry. Let's get Chinese." She tells me and I tell her as soon as she tells me what's wrong.

"Nothing!" she yells but I'm not dropping this.

"Bella I don't like you to be upset." I tell her hoping to guilt her into it.

"OK fine! When I think about my future, I think about it a lot I always see myself with kids and I don't want kids but I can't imagine my future without them. It doesn't make sense and it pisses me off." She's trying not to cry and I know I should drop it but she doesn't talk about stuff like this often.

"Why don't you want kids?" I ask her and she looks at me like I'm completely insane.

"Um because I have evil in me Lee." She tells me completely serious.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Evil my ass, on top of beautiful she is also perfect in personality too. Her biggest issue is she tends to let people take advantage of her but Seth is always there to stick up for her. I do worry about her sometimes because eventually Seth won't be there.

"My mom did horrible things to me Lee. How do I know I wouldn't do that to my own kid?" She says quietly.

"You babysit all the time, have you ever thought about hurting any of them?" I ask her and she says no but what if she changes, what if it's a hormone thing. She needs to be cut off from Google.

"Bella the fact that you are worried about kids you don't even want proves that you wouldn't do anything to hurt them. But if you're really worried about it you should talk to Charlie or Sue."

"Yeah maybe I will. Can we please eat now?" She whines and I laugh at her as we walk to the closet Chinese place.

"Are you married in the future Bella?" I ask her and she smiles and says maybe.

We eat and talk about the dumb people we see walking past us.

After lunch we shop for a while longer than head home and as soon as we get home she heads straight up to her room to play with her iPad.

I'm incredibly jealous.


	8. Chapter 8

Leah's POV

Prom! I am so excited! I got asked by this really hot guy and Emily and I are going together. Bella made my dress which is little weird but it's beautiful. She is also going to do my hair and nails. She's pretty awesome as far as little sisters go. She made Emily's dress too.

After I put my dress on and she does my hair and mom takes a billon pictures while dad sits there pretending it isn't happening.

"Lee is Josh your boyfriend?" Bella asks and I tell her no but I'm hoping he is by the end of the night.

"Do you love him?" She asks and I laugh until I realize she's serious.

"Of course I don't Bella, I only know him from school, this is like our first date." I tell her and she says oh OK.

"What are you thinking?" I ask her and she says she wouldn't want to go to all this trouble for someone she didn't love. She's thinking about Sam I'm sure, she's always thinking about Sam so much that I got worried about it and talked to mom about it but she wasn't concerned.

"I've never been in love Bella." I tell her quietly as if that explains why I put so much expectation into this night.

"You're lucky then." She tells me and heads upstairs.

I look at mom and she just shrugs her shoulders so I go upstairs to talk to her.

"What did you do her Lee?" Seth asks and I tell him to shut it, I never do anything to her.

"Bella, what's wrong?" I ask her as I sit on her bed where's she curled up in a tiny ball crying.

"He's going to prom Lee. And I know he's too old for me and I have no chance but it sucks!" Oh.

"Do you know who he's going with Bella?" I ask her and she looks at me like I'm stupid.

"Why does it even matter?" She asks and I tell her it just does.

"Anna something with a B." She tells me.

"Burchett?" I ask her and she says yeah that sounds right.

"He doesn't like her Bella, they are just friends." I tell her and I'm pretty sure I'm right. Sam is hot and all the girls want him, but he doesn't seem to be interested in any of them more than friends. A lot of people think he's gay.

"Promise?" She asks hopefully and I promise her hoping I'm not lying.

She jumps up and hugs me careful to not mess up my dress, she's more worried about it then I am, and then follows me downstairs.

Soon Emily comes over and our dates arrive and after a billion more pictures we all get in my Emily's car and go.

The whole night is amazing from the slow dancing to the after prom and when I get home the next morning Bella is waiting on my bed.

"How did it go?" She asks as soon as I walk in.

"It was pretty amazing, and everyone loved mine and Emily's dress. You should open a store or something."

"Did he ask you out?" She asks and I say no, but it's not a big deal even if it is.

"I'm glad you had fun, go to sleep now." She starts to leave.

"Oh come on Bella, ask me what you really want to know."

"I really wanted to make sure you had fun." She's playing confused.

"They danced, that's all, no kissing or anything. And at after prom she hung out with her friends and he hung out with his." I tell her and she smiles.

"You're the best sister ever. Good night." She tells me and leaves, probably to go destroy the kitchen. She's an awesome cook and baker but she's so messy! She makes Seth clean it up and he does because she's better than even mom and he doesn't want her to stop.

I go to sleep dreaming of Josh and prom and not so happily ever afters.


	9. Chapter 9

Leah's POV

I am working at the vet office thinking about how awesome it is that I have two months left of high school. Of course I have no idea what I am going to do then. I'm not Bella with my iPad and my future planned out.

Then Sam walks in. He is pretty hot and if he's as amazing as Bella says he is no wonder she fell in love with him. Because seeing her talk about him I realized she's actually in love with him. It isn't some little girl crush because once again Bella is not normal. Mom and Dad thought she stole the iPad until she showed them the receipt and then dad took her to the bank and got her a bank account and a saving account and a debit card. The girl had almost $2000 cash in the house and no one knew about it. They just assumed she blew it like a normal 13 year old.

"Hey Sam, what can I help you with?" I ask him since he just walked in the vet without any sort of animal.

"Hey Leah, I haven't seen you around much at school. How have you been?" He asks.

"Mostly good. Ready for it to be over mostly. You?" I tell him still wondering why he's here.

"Same really. So anyways do you adopt puppies out? I thought I heard that somewhere and my brother thinks I'm stupid so he's waiting in the car. But we want a puppy for his, I guess our friend, more his than mine but we don't know where to get one without going to a pet store and we are both against pet stores so yeah." He is really freaking cute.

"We actually do have a litter that will be ready in a couple of weeks. They are mutts; I think they are going to be pretty small dogs. Do you want to see them?" I ask and he says yeah let him go get his brother.

They come back in together and I take them back to look at the puppies.

"So which one do you think Bella would like Embry?" Sam asks him and I'm like huh?

"The puppy is for Bella?" I ask confused, though that would make sense. How many girls are friend with both 18 and 13 year olds? And her birthday is in a week. I need to get her something but what the hell is going to top an iPad and a puppy?

"You know Bella?" Sam asks and Embry looks at him like he's stupid.

"Leah is Bella's sister idiot." He tells him and Sam's like oh…

"You don't look anything alike." He says and I tell him she's my stepsister.

"Does my dad know about this puppy?" I ask them and Embry says yep Seth already asked.

"Awesome! I love all these little dudes. I think Bella would like the runt though because it's tiny and pretends to be shy just like her." I tell them. Maybe I like the runt the best too…

"Bella's not shy at all." Sam says and I say duh because she's in love with you. Shit.

"Leah!" Embry practically growls and I think oh shit oh shit oh shit.

"I mean she really looks up to you because you show her new stuff and you're nice to her and you're not like Seth and Jake and no offense Embry but you. Not like literally in love with you." Shit.

"She is going to kill you." Embry offers and I say no shit.

"Chill out both of you. I know how Bella feels. Why else would she spend so much time at our house when Embry's not there? I'm not stupid. So no one needs to say anything to Bella and everything will be fine got it?" He looks at both of us and we nod. I'm relieved but Embry looks pissed. At me.

"Do you like the runt Embry?" Sam asks Embry and he says yes and he thinks it's perfect for Bella. "Great can you go back to the car so I can talk to Leah for a few minutes?" Embry looks at him suspiciously but goes anyways.

"I'm not taking advantage of Bella or anything Leah. I like her, she's sweet and smart. Embry likes her too, but Embry like, likes her. Which is awkward because she has no idea and he won't tell her since she told him she likes me. The thing is I like her too but in an I could see myself with her in the future kind of way? Does that make sense or make me sound like I should be in prison? Or like a girl…"

"Surprisingly it makes a lot of sense. She's not a normal 13 year old at all. But what about Embry?" I would never date someone Bella loved. No matter how hot he is…

"Nothing is going to happen anyways. She's 13 and I'm leaving for college in the fall. I doubt I will see much of her after that. I kind of hope she falls in love with Embry. At least I know he makes her happy." Aww. I can totally see why she loves him.

"The puppy is too make her less sad isn't it?" I ask him and he says yes. "Well it won't work but she'll love him anyways."

"Thanks Leah, so when I can I come get the puppy?"

"Two weeks so too late for her birthday but she won't mind."

Bella is going to heartbroken when he leaves.


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N I was looking through some of my unfinished stuff and noticed that I had the after prom chapter that I had never posted. I forgot about it so I combined the two together. _

Leah's POV

**Will you be home to help me get ready? - Bella**

**Of course! My shift ends at 12 today so I will head home right after that. - Lee**

Bella has been texting me constantly to make sure I'm not going to be late to help her get ready for prom which is stupid because she doesn't need help. She even designed and sewed her own dress.

I can't believe my baby sister is going to prom and then graduating.

Bella of course already has plans for her restaurant on the edge of town. She actually already bought the place since after she put $1000 in savings when she was 13 Dad helped her invest it and she kept babysitting and mowing lawns and never spending until she was 15 and she opened an online store selling custom dresses and shirts and jackets which she designs and makes herself though sometimes Sue helps her when she gets a lot of orders in. So after that she just needed a loan for supplies and startup costs and stuff. Charlie cosigned for her and the restaurant should be open by the end of the year. She's going to be a 20 year old millionaire. Seth and Jacob have moved on from mowing lawns to all out landscaping and they are doing pretty well themselves.

Once my nursing shift is over I run home, shower change and drive the 2 hours home. Not that I live there anymore.

I walk through the door and Roscoe attacks me and nearly knocks me down. I was wrong with I said there were going to be small dogs. Even Roscoe the runt is nearly 80 pounds. Bella still treats him like a baby though. This is the most spoiled dog ever. And I saw a lot working in the vet office.

"Come on Roscoe, you have to go outside before you kill Lee or ruin my dress." She coos at him and he happily runs outside. He would probably happily run off a bridge if Bella cooed at him. "I'm so glad you're here Lee! I can't paint my right hand and I need you to curl my hair and zip my dress."

"Love you too Bella. Seriously I came all the way here to paint one hand and curl your hair and zip your dress? Seth and Mom couldn't have handled that?" I laugh as she sticks her tongue and reminds me of all I did on my prom night. "I wouldn't have missed helping you for anything. You know that right?" She smiles and says I know.

"Who are you even going with?" I feel bad, I should know this. She frowns and says Embry.

"What about Marissa?" I ask her.

"She had to go out of town." Bella says with a weird look on her face. It is weird. No sane girl goes out of town the weekend of prom and lets her boyfriend go with his smoking hot best friend who he used to be in love with. "And I wasn't going to go alone so when he asked if I wanted to go I said sure."

I'm pretty sure alone means not with Sam who she still is very much in love with. I'm pretty sure he went ahead and fell in love with her too. He's teaches in the city but comes back almost every weekend to see "Embry". Then he and Bella end up spending all weekend together. I don't really see what the holdup is now unless it's because he's a teacher and she's still in high school. Oh and maybe dad.

"Where is Seth?" I ask and she tells me he went to get his date, Cheyenne and Jake's date Katie so they can all get ready together. "Even more people who could've painted that hand." I tell her and she throws a pillow at me.

'You know I only trust the best with my beautiful nails and perfect hair and hand sewn in zipper." She says trying to sound serious than bursts into laughter.

"Hey Lee, did you come to fix Princess Bella up tonight?" Jake teases as he bursts through the doors with Katie with Seth and Cheyenne right behind him.

"Pretty much. Hey Seth can I talk to you upstairs alone for a minute?" He looks scared and Bella looks confused but gets over it quickly as her and the other 2 girls start talking excitedly.

"Where's Embry?" I ask as soon as I know they can't hear.

"Um, he's coming later?" Seth says it as a question.

"Why when all his best friends are here would he be coming later?" I ask him.

"OK! He's with Marissa and they are coming in the limo a few minutes after Sam comes for her." He looks at me cautiously.

Holy crap. I knew something was up and I can see why he kept it from me. Bella could go either way with this. She could either be so happy she doesn't care she was tricked of she could go flipping crazy and refuse to go. I would have told her and ruined the surprise.

"Does Sam know she doesn't know?" I ask him. He says yes and so I figure if he thinks she'll be OK with it she probably will. He spends more time with her than I do these days.

"Does dad know?" I ask him and he says yes, he's not stupid. Not sure keeping it from Bella isn't stupid though…

"OK then, hope this works out and have tonight." I hug him and he groans making me laugh.

"I wouldn't let her get hurt Lee. I never have and I never will." He tells me seriously and I know he's right.

The next couple hours are a rush of makeup and hair and dresses and pure excitement. I kind of feel bad for Embry and Marissa being left out but what do I know?

Finally everyone is ready and just waiting for Sam; as far as I can tell she is the only one that doesn't know. The bell rings and Bella goes to answer it. Please be OK with this I silently will her.

She opens the door and damn he looks hot. She stares for a minute than hugs him and says I hoped it was you. Oh thank goodness. I should've known she was smarter than them.

Mom and Dad and I take tons of pictures than the limo shows up and Embry and Marissa get out and we take tons more.

I hear Bella whispering to Embry asking if he's really OK with this and he says yes. She hugs him then starts crying so I fix her makeup really fast then out they go. I spend the night because I want to hear every last detail in the morning.

"I love you Lee, thank you for coming and helping me." She tells me before she leaves.

Dad is a nervous wreck all night.

"Are you OK Dad?" I ask him because he's kind of making me a nervous wreck.

"I'm just not ready for this Leah. You and Bella, you're my little girls. She wasn't supposed to meet the man she's going to marry when she was 13. I mean I'm glad they waited till she's 18 and he's got a job and all that but she's my little girl." He rambles on.

"You know he loves her right? He could never hurt her. Wait, how long how you known she liked him?" I ask surprised.

"Since she was 13. I knew it wasn't Embry she wanted to spend all her time with but with him I didn't know until he brought her that awful dog she loves so much." Wow, and here I thought our dad was clueless. "And yes Leah I know he loves her and wouldn't hurt her. That's why I let him take her tonight. They'll probably be married with babies by this time next year." He grumbles and I laugh.

She did see kids in her future and if anyone could convince her she's not evil it would be Sam.

"Lee wake up!" Bella is scream whispering way too early the next morning.

"Aggh Bella what time is it?" I ask her and she happily informs me it's 6 in the morning and she just got home from after prom.

"OK you come back with coffee and I will let you talk about your amazing night with your perfect and super-hot future husband." I mumble and she bounces off to make coffee.

"Night Lee." Seth yells as he passes my room.

"Seth wait! Did you have fun?" I yell back and he comes back to my doorway.

"Hell yeah, it was awesome. I don't think anyone had as much fun as Bella and Sam though. I'm pretty sure they forgot we existed as soon as we got there." He smiles in an I told you so kind of way.

"Night Seth." I tell him and he laughs and goes to his room.

10 minutes later Bella is in my room with coffee and donuts.

"OK Bella spill."

"Holy shit Lee it was amazing. Like nothing I could have ever dreamed of. And I dream big." Hell yeah she does. Restaurants and custom clothing stores and horses. "The ballroom was gorgeous and of course mine and Katie's and Cheyenne's dresses were the best there. I feel bad for Marissa since I didn't make hers but I guess she was OK it, Embry made it up to her by proposing! Holy crap it was incredible even though she totally ruined her make up crying. But enough about them. Sam, holy shit Sam. You saw him, so freaking hot all in black like that. Then in the limo he pulled me close to him and whispered he's tired of pretending to not love me. Ahhhh! Then once we got to the hotel we danced the entire night, I don't think I even talked to Seth or anyone at all. That was probably mean now that I think about it. Anyways! We're dancing and he kissed me and it was like the whole world disappeared. Oh Lee it amazing. I love him and it's OK now." She rambles on and in the first time in a long time she sounds her age. "And then after prom was so much fun! It was so awesome to just… be with him. We're always doing something and even without him I'm always doing something. And I don't want that to change because I don't like to be bored or still and I sure as hell like the money but it was nice. To just be. With Sam! Holy shit Lee! I am finally officially WITH Sam!" I don't think I have ever seen her this happy.

"I'm so happy for you Bella." Maybe a little jealous because my little sister has the kind of love most people dream of and I'm stuck with a string of bad dates. "Do you remember when you were 13 and you first told me about him and I told you he was too old?"

"Yep! And I told you one day he wouldn't be. You always did worry too much."

"And you've always been too smart for your age."

"Get up! Let's go shopping!" She suddenly says and I'm suspicious. Bella doesn't shop unless it's for her store or restaurant.

"I'm going out tonight Lee. On my first real official I am with Sam date. I need something to wear." She explains at my not hidden very well suspicion.

"I thought you made all your own clothes?" and she says yes! And I only have like 10 hours so let's go.

"Bella you need to sleep! Or you'll be falling asleep on your supposed to be first real official date. Just for once can't you buy something? I'm pretty sure Sam would like you in something premade and awake more than super-hot and original and asleep." I tell her and she sighs and says fine.

"I will sleep until 12. And then you wake me and we go. Promise?" I promise her. I miss this. I wonder if I can find a job closer to home.

I go downstairs for more coffee as she drags herself off to bed and laughs at Seth already snoring like a freight train.

"Morning Leah. Did they have fun? Apparently only you are good enough for details." Mom laughs.

"Well I had to ask Seth for details, Bella on the other hand woke me up with way too much enthusiasm for this early in the morning. And I'm nurse, on the midnight shift… But to answer your question Seth had fun. Bella, I don't think what Bella had can simply described as fun. She is so happy Mom. And she's acting 18. Dad's right they might be married with babies a year from now. I had to make her sleep. She wanted to go out and buy material to make an outfit for tonight. I had to convince her that just this once off the shelf would be OK." Mom rolls her eyes and then Dad comes in and looks at us.

"Did she have sex with him?" is the first thing out of his mouth making me choke on my coffee.

"Seriously Dad? Unless it was in the bathroom I'm pretty sure they didn't. And I'm pretty sure Sam is better than that." Bella may have gone for it though I leave that part out.

"It's going to happen Charlie. She's 18 and she's loved him for 5 years and he's in some way loved her almost as long. If you try to keep them apart you will push them together. Bella is more responsible than any 18 year old out there so chill out a bit." Mom tries and he mumbles something about his baby girl.

"So Leah any sex partners for you?" Mom asks and I choke on my coffee again then laugh as Dad shoots her a death glare and leaves the room.

Maybe I won't try to find a job closer to here.


	11. Chapter 11

Leah's POV

Bella's restaurant has been open for a month now and it is super popular. She has hired staff obviously but she pretty much lives there trying to make sure everything runs perfectly. She's going to run herself to death. If anyone wants to see her awake it has to be there.

She moved in with Sam a month after she graduated, he got a job here and they found an adorable little house just minutes away from Mom and Dad. I am looking for a job there and I have a couple of interviews in the upcoming week.

**You're visiting this weekend? - Bella**

**Yep. - Leah**

**OK you need to be at the restaurant at 3 Saturday.-Bella**

**Why? - Leah**

**Because I say so. - Bella**

**Oh fine.-Leah**

So demanding I think. Sam has his hands full I'm sure. Bella has a lot of habits she never outgrew. Like being really sweet most of the time but throwing gigantic fits when something doesn't go her way. And she still hates to be alone for more than a few minutes at a time. It's a good thing she has the restaurant or she would go nuts when he's at work.

When Saturday comes I drive home to see Mom and Dad and Seth before heading to the restaurant. Seth tells me good luck before I leave which worries me.

"Lee! So glad you came." She makes she sound like I had a choice. She tells the hostess to sit me in the back at table 20 and smiles and says she'll be there in just a few minutes. I sit down and look at the menu, I've never actually eaten here and I'm starving when Bella comes up to the table laughing with this incredibly hot guy.

"Lee this is Paul, he's my manager. He's going to keep you company for the next oh 20 minutes until I can get a break." I know she's lying but I pretend to not notice because this incredibly hot guy is smiling at me with this incredibly hot smile.

He sits down and tells me all about how Bella told him she had this amazing girl he needed to meet and how Bella has such good taste in everything else he figured he would be dumb to not meet me.

"She's right about you being beautiful. Are you close friends?" He asks and I laugh and tell him she's my sister.

"Oh, she didn't mention that. She's odd; I mean I love her to death. We've become really good friends since she hired me but still she's odd. She told me all about her sister; she just didn't mention it was you. She talks about you all the time, you know? You're like her hero. She tells me all the time how she's the person she is because of you. And she's a good person, more than she even realizes." He tells me.

"She is odd but I love her to death too." I tell him and we both laugh.

We spend the next 20 minutes talking and laughing and when Bella catches my eye to see if I want her to interrupt I shake my head no so we sit there for what seems like hours.

Hours turn into months and one day we show up at the restaurant really late, after hours I'm sure and we go inside. I'm expecting Bella but instead the whole room is lit up with candles and Bella is nowhere to be found.

"What it this?" I ask quietly and Paul says dinner like I'm crazy or something.

Bella comes out with these special menus with all the options named after me or Paul or things that are special to us. Like the first place we went on a real date, and the first movie we saw together.

Throughout dinner I forget this is weird and I forget that Bella is floating around here somewhere.

Until my dessert comes with a ring in it.

"I know I've only known you for 3 months Leah but I already love you more than I thought was possible and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Holy crap.

"Yes! I love you!" I look around to tell Bella thank you but she's floated away again. I kiss Paul and I think finally I have my happily ever after and the wait was so worth it.

And maybe this is selfish but I'm glad I'm engaged before Bella even if I know Sam is planning on asking her soon.

A month later he asks her at the place with the trees as she still calls it. She never did get over her obsession with that place and she's still fascinated with thunderstorms.

A few weeks after she moved in with Sam he called me freaking out because he lost her, she never goes anywhere without telling him. I could hear the rain in the background and I asked him if it was storming and he says yes. I tell him she's probably somewhere outside with a quick Bella history lesson. She texted me an hour later saying she's fine and she was safe, she's not 7 after all. I laughed and texted her back to tell her to next time tell poor Sam she's going to sit in the middle of a thunderstorm.

She announces her engagement with the fact that even though it's 3 years from now she's not getting married until she's 21 because she wants to legally drink. We still wedding plan together even though my wedding is two years before and she still makes my dress, the most beautiful dress ever, I doubt even she can top it.

Her wedding day comes and while she can't drink because she found out a week before she's pregnant she looks like an angel and I have never seen her happier.

Paul and I try to get pregnant right away but it doesn't happen. At first I'm not worried but I get more and more worried and unhappy with every passing month. Finally after a year we talk to a specialist who gives me a label and a bunch of drugs.

I hate my sister, I hate myself and I'm really starting to hate Paul. Only Paul knows, I don't want my family to know what a failure I am.

So much for happily ever after. I guess that craps only meant for Bella.


	12. Chapter 12

Seth's POV

Bella is finally coming to meet Emma, my girlfriend; I think she's the one I'm going to marry. Bella and Lee are already married and sometimes I feel left out. Not that I am in any way ready to ask her to marry me. Bella was ready her whole life with Sam. And when she introduced Lee to Paul it was instant chemistry and the rest came quickly.

I like to think I focused more of the career side of my life. Jake and I run a very successful landscaping business. It pays for my nice house and my nice car and mostly anything I want. We can't all be Bella and have it all when we're 18. 23 isn't so bad either.

Emma shows up first looking nervous as hell and I don't really get it, she's met Lee tons of times and she was never this nervous and Lee is kind of a bitch lately. I've been trying to get Bella to come for months but she's busy with her restaurant and online store and husband and 2 kids. She married Sam the day she turned 21 because she wanted to drink at the wedding. Unfortunately for her she found out she was pregnant one week before. Jolie, or Jo-Jo, is almost 2 and Luke is 6 months old I think but I haven't seen them in 2 months even though they live 20 minutes away. The year Bella graduated Sam got a job at the high school we all went to so they could be together finally.

Everyone is coming meaning Embry and Marissa, Jake and his new girlfriend Holly, Lee and Paul and of course Bella and Sam.

Soon after Emma shows up everyone else arrives.

Bella is practically bouncing looking like she's trying to hide something.

I introduce her to Emma and they hit it off right away with Emma all over baby Luke and Jo-Jo. OK, I do not need her to get any ideas about that quite yet.

Things are going great, everyone is getting along, Lee is even seeming normal and then Bella innocently announces she's pregnant again and it all goes to hell.

Everyone is congratulating her and hugging her except Lee who is sitting on the couch glaring at her and Paul who is whispering in her ear.

"Lee why are you looking at me like that?" Bella asks her hurt.

"Don't worry about it Princess." She snaps and Bella goes from hurt to pissed.

"No one is allowed to call me that except for Jake." Jake started calling her Princess the day she came home with an iPad. Bella always had everything she wanted but we all knew she worked for it so it didn't bother her, still only Jake is allowed, not me or Embry or even Sam. "And Jake has never said it mean like you just did. Now what the hell is you problem?" Bella doesn't get mad often but you do not want to be the one to make her mad.

"You're my problem! You get everything you want and you always have! You are dad's real daughter, you always got special treatment, I gave you my necklace! Now you're 23 with a restaurant and an online store and the perfect freaking family!" Lee screams at her while everyone else is in shock.

"Lee, I have worked for everything I have." Bella says deadly calm. This is scary Bella.

"Really Princess? What about Sam? You used Embry to get to him. You always just took what you wanted with no concern for anyone."

"Leah, she never…" Embry starts but Bella stops him.

"I was 13. Did you want Sam? Is that what this is about?" Bella asks.

"Come on Jo-Jo, let's go play outside." Embry picks her up and Marissa offers to take Luke from Bella and Bella hands him over, Sam whispers thank you to both of them.

Jake whispers something to Holly then Holly grabs Emma's hand and drags her out after them.

This leaves me, Bella and Sam, Paul and Lee and Jake. I feel a little bit bad for Lee because everyone in this room except for Paul is going to take Bella's side in this. I love Lee but I have always felt like I needed to protect Bella and I'm not going to stop now even if it is protecting her against Lee.

"Of course I wanted Sam! Every girl who went to high school with Sam wanted him! I had a huge freaking crush on him when you told me you loved him! And like the good sister I forgot all about him! Now you have this perfect marriage and perfect babies!" Lee screams.

"Oh come on Lee it was a crush! I loved him! You never had a freaking chance! He barely knew you! He didn't even know you were my sister. And you have Paul, the man I introduced you too!" Bella is screaming now too.

"I'm sorry I introduced you to her. I didn't know you were always going to be second best to my husband." She tells Paul and he's just looks at her like please leave me out of this.

"Lee I really don't understand all this, you have an amazing husband, a beautiful house, a good job, just have a baby and stop acting like a jealous bitch." Bella tells her as she takes off the necklace she has worn every day since our first day of kindergarten and hands it to Lee.

"I hate you Bella, I wish you had stayed with your mom." Lee tells her and storms out.

Shit.

"She can't have a baby Bella; we've been trying since we've been married. That's why she's such a bitch lately; the hormones she's taking make her this way. She didn't mean any of that." Paul tells Bella.

"Maybe she didn't mean to say it but you don't say that kind of stuff without meaning it at least a little bit." Bella says quietly.

"She loves you, you know that." Paul tells her and she breaks down in his arms and Sam takes her from him and holds her while she just sobs. She can hardly breathe and nothing is working. Paul is torn between staying with Bella and going after Lee until Sam tells him to just go.

I've never seen Bella like this. Growing up she would throw fits and ignore you for days but she's never just broke down before as far as I know and from the look on Sam's face I'm guessing she's never done it in front of him either.

"Sam just take her home, I'll bring Jo-Jo and Luke home this afternoon." Jake tells him and he asks Bella if that's OK and she is able to nod yes through her sobbing.

Sam and I help her get in the car and I grab Jo-Jo and Luke's car seats and they leave.

When I get back in Lee and Paul are back in the house and I can Paul is trying to get her to leave without flipping out on anyone else.

"Just leave me the freak alone Paul, and you Seth, thank you to both of you for defending me against the little bitch!" She screams.

"Paul take her home, Jo-Jo doesn't need to be around her like this." I tell him.

"No, I'll go you can find your own way home jerk." She tells him as she grabs the keys from him and he lets her go.

"I am so sorry, the drugs they do this but she won't stop taking them. It's driving her insane to the point I am considering leaving her." He tells me.

"It's not your fault Paul, do you want to stay a while or do you want me to take you home?" I ask him and he says he'd rather stay for a while so she can settle down.

Marissa comes in to check if it is safe for the kids to come in and Jake tells her yes it's fine so she goes to get them and the other girls and Embry. We catch them up in a way Jo-Jo won't understand, not that she understands much.

"Is Bella going to be OK?" Paul asks and I'm not sure who he's talking to but Embry tells him probably not, not completely for a while if ever, she's always looked up to Leah.

Leah always fixed her problems and knew exactly what to say and what to do. Sam loves her but it's still always Leah who has the answer when she's really upset so I'm not sure who is going to fix her now.


	13. Chapter 13

After I'm done telling Bella I hate her I go home, get drunk then pass out vaguely aware that Paul never came home.

The next morning I wake up with a killer hangover and a cloud of guilt that I just messed up my fertility treatments by getting drunk.

As the fog in my head clears up the cloud of guilt gets bigger and bigger and bigger till it bursts and I'm screaming at my bedroom wall and throwing things across the room. That's when Paul walks in and I'm so mad that he spent all night, I'm assuming, with Bella that I start throwing things at him and he just stands there and lets me until I stop.

"You have two choices Leah, you can quit the drugs or I leave. You're not the person I married; you're not the person I love. And just so you don't throw a fit later about me picking Bella over you I wasn't with Bella last night, I spent the night with Jake helping him taking care of Jo-Jo and Luke because Bella had broken down in my arms and hasn't quite recovered yet. Sam took her home where she apparently cried for hours. Not just cried Leah sobbed and sobbed to the point of not being able to breathe, he finally gave her some strong sleeping pills your mom had from something. Jake still has the kids but he's taking them to Seth's in an hour and I will be there with them. I feel responsible for them because it is your fault their mom is in a drugged state of sleep. And if you still see this as picking Bella over you then that's fine, I'm too tired to really give a damn what you think. I'll be home as soon as the kids are back with Sam and Bella and when I get home I want an answer. If you pick the drugs then good luck finding someone to take my place in all this because I will pack my stuff and be out tonight."

He walks out without me saying anything. I lay back down in bed because I don't have the energy to do anything else.

His choice is unfair. If I pick the drugs what am I supposed to do without him? Either choice leaves me without a baby. While perfect Bella will soon have 3.

"Leah, get up. You need to get a shower and some food." My mom demands from the doorway. I should've known Paul wouldn't just leave me here all alone.

"Go away mom. Go be with Bella, haven't you heard? I'm just the bitch that broke her."

"Sweetie, Paul told me everything and while I'm not crazy about the way you handled things you're my daughter too. Bella has plenty of people taking care of her, she doesn't need me. Honestly Bella never really needed me, when she had you and Seth and then Sam. Leah why didn't you tell anyone about you're fertility treatments?"

"Because I feel like a failure. She's perfect mom and I can't even have a baby." I whine to her.

"Leah you have to see this is the drugs talking. You've never been jealous of Bella and I know you weren't just hiding it well your whole life. Bella is not perfect, she's far from it. She works too much and she still throws tantrums like a child and she'll risk her life to sit in a thunderstorm. Remember when Jo-Jo was born and she locked herself in her room for 3 days ignoring her daughter until Sam dragged her out and got her help for what we found out was postpartum depression. She's not perfect but it's not her fault you can't pregnant either. Sweetie, Paul asked me to convince you to stop taking them. I understand how hard this must be for you but there are other ways to have a baby. Leah just consider it? Please?" She's begging and I hate it, I hate knowing I'm the one causing so many people pain.

"He didn't really give me a choice Mom, it's give up the drugs or he leaves. I can't have a baby by myself. I'm just not sure I can forgive him for making me give this up." I'm crying and she puts my head in her lap and I feel like such a little girl

"Why don't you stop the drugs and after a month or two rethink everything sweetie? Once the drugs are out of your system you'll know it's really you. You can stay with us for a while if you need too."

"Did Paul suggest that too?" she hesitates then says yes.

He doesn't want me anymore. Bella isn't going to want to be my sister anymore and she'll probably take Dad and Seth with her.

"You'll help me pack my stuff?" I ask her and she says of course.

I take a shower, she makes me breakfast, helps me pack and for the first time in a long time I go home with my mom.

I put my stuff in my old room and it's so quiet. I haven't been here in a while and I can't remember the last time I was here without Bella and the kids or Seth.

I text Paul…

**At mom's. I'm quitting the drugs but I don't know if I can forgive you for making me. Please don't call me, I'll call you when I'm ready. I am so sorry it's come to this.-Leah**

**I love you Leah and I really think we will make it through this. I won't call you but please don't shut me out completely.-Paul**

**I'll try. Baby steps. How are Jo-Jo and Luke?-Leah**

**Jo-Jo is fine, Luke won't stop crying. Embry and Marissa are on the way. You know Embry has some weird connection with Luke.-Paul**

**Yeah that's true. Is Bella still out? - Leah**

**Seth has asked me not to talk to you about Bella. I'm sorry Leah. - Paul**

**Yeah whatever. I'll call you when I'm ready. - Leah**

I turn my phone off before he can respond then cry into my pillow.

I'm so far out of control my brother asked my husband not to talk to me about my sister, my best friend, and he listened.


	14. Chapter 14

It's been 3 weeks since I stopped the treatments and I've only talked to Paul a few times, Seth won't talk to me at all and he pretty much told me to stay away from Bella, if she wants to talk to me she can come to me but she won't.

After she broke down into Paul's arms and Sam drugged her to make her stop crying she woke up and pretended nothing happened, pretended she doesn't even have a sister that broke her heart. She works, she plays the good mommy and wife and daughter and sister to Seth. I simply don't exist. I only know this because mom tells me. Dad isn't refusing to talk to me but every time he looks at me I can see the disappointment in his eyes.

The necklace she gave back to me haunts me from my dresser drawer. I never wanted it back. She wore that thing every day just like I did before I gave it to her. After Jo-Jo was born I figured she would get it on her first day of school.

**Meet me at the restaurant at 12. Don't be late, if you're not there by 12 just don't come. Table 20.-Bella**

Oh crap. Just when I think I have her all figured out. Do I go? I guess I have to if I have any chance of getting my sister back. Should I tell anyone? What if she breaks down again? I decide to call Paul and he tells me he knows she's contacted and asked me to come and he would be there but he would stay out of the way, it's just in case she needs someone. Why him? I ask. Why can't he stay out of it? She has Sam and Seth and Jake and Embry and Marissa. It's because I work here and everyone else is at work too he tells me. Life doesn't stop because you cause drama is what he means.

I go downstairs and mom smiles and offers to make me breakfast.

"Bella wants to see me." I tell her and she smiles and says that's good.

"Let her talk Leah, no matter what she says if you want her back just listen at first until she's all done. No arguing." She tells me and I tell her OK.

Soon it's time to go, I leave early. I don't want to be late. Once I get in I ask for table 20 and the hostess leads me there and hands me a menu. Right, because I'm hungry. Don't be a bitch Leah, even in your head.

Bella sits down and just stares at me for a minute.

"Paul misses you." She finally says. "Did you stop the treatments?" She asks and I shake my head yes.

"Good then as soon as you fix things with Paul and I have this baby and my body heals I will have a baby for you. Unless of course you don't want me to because the baby might soak up my selfishness." She's being cold and a little scary.

"Why would you do that for me?" I ask her.

"Even if you hate me, I still love you. You did so much for me growing up and I could never do anything good enough to thank you. I will do this for you and then we'll be even and we can go our separate ways. I mean we'll have to play nice on holidays but I think we can handle it." She tells me and she's so detached sounding.

"I don't hate you, those things I said, I was in a bad place Bella and I feel so awful. I wake up every morning wanting to call you and beg for forgiveness but Seth and Paul and Sam asked me to not call you, if you wanted to talk to me you would call me."

"Nothing that mean is said without some truth to it." She says.

"So maybe I've always been a little bit jealous of you, how many people have restaurants and online stores and the love of their life at 18 and then two almost three perfect kids at 23? But I'm happy for you Bella and I love Jo-Jo and Luke and I will love this new baby, if you let me."

"Jolie, only family is allowed to call her Jo-Jo. You call her Jolie." She snaps.

"Bella I'm sorry!"

"What about Sam? Did you really want him? Do you think I ruined your perfect future with him?" She asks bitterly and I have a feeling we're not going to fix this anytime soon.

"It was a crush Bella, just a crush. Just like every other girl had a crush on him. I mean I guess I was a little jealous when I realized he actually liked you too but no I don't think you ruined my future with him, he was never meant to be my future. He was always yours just like Paul was always mine. And I know you didn't use Embry to get close to Sam, Embry was your friend too and he always knew how you felt. I was just being a bitch Bella, about Sam and Embry and Dad and the necklace. I want you to keep the necklace." I tell her.

"I don't want it. Do you want me to have a baby for you or not?" She asks.

"Not unless you're going to be part of mine and its life." I tell her hopefully.

"No, I'm sorry I can't be a part of your life and the only way I would be a part of the babies life is though Paul but I imagine if you work things out with him he will eventually feel like he has to pick a side. I want you to know that I told Seth he doesn't need to pick a side. But you know how protective he's always been of me. I'm sure I manipulated him or something when I was you know? 5 and broken from being abused by my mother you wished I stayed with. No, you're right Leah I shouldn't have your baby. You don't deserve a baby. I'm sorry I asked you to come." Out of everything she just said all I really hear is Leah. For the first time ever she called me Leah, not Lee. Because in her eyes I'm not her sister anymore.

"Bella please…" I start but she gets up saying she has to get to work.

I'm sitting at the table crying when I feel Paul behind me.

"Leah, you broke her. She thought she was OK; we all tried to convince her to take more time. But she's pregnant and exhausted and her big sister broke her. Give her time OK? No one is for her not forgiving you but no one expects her to either." He tells me.

"If you had to pick a side right now what side would you pick?" I ask him and he says you Leah, I would pick you.

I tell him thank you but I'm not sure if I actually believe him.


	15. Chapter 15

Paul's POV

Bella is due in one month and she is miserable, she plays happy well though to the outside world, even to her parents. She has refused to speak to Leah since the day at the restaurant and while we all beg her to try again no one really blames her for not doing it.

Leah is miserable and depressed to the point she got fired from her job because she simply stopped going.

Seth is miserable because even if he hates her Leah is still his sister. Plus he feels like he's failing Bella somehow.

I check on Leah once a week but she refuses to have anything to do with me, somehow this is all my fault now. Her mom had called me earlier saying she had to go out but she would leave the door unlocked.

"Leah." I call her name but she doesn't answer. Shocker. I walk to her room and she's lying in her bed, passed out with a bottle of pills on the floor. Holy shit, I call 911 and then I call Sue and then I try to wake her up knowing it's not going to work. The EMTs show up and I ride with her to the hospital and just as I get in Sam calls me, I don't think Sam has ever called me, I actually didn't even know his name was programmed into my phone. Anyways it surprises me so even though I am in the hospital with my dying wife I answer.

He tells me Bella is in labor and I tell him Leah tried to kill herself. We obviously agree Bella doesn't need to know until after the baby is born, she's already in labor a month early.

Leah is rushed to a room and a doctor or nurse or someone tells me they are going to pump her stomach but it really depends on how long ago she took the pills.

She can't die, not like this. Not thinking she has no one who really loves her to the point she swallows a bottle of pills. Is this my fault?

Sam texts me keeping me updated. I wonder who Bella has in the room with her. Sam obviously but with both Jo-Jo and Luke it was Sam and Leah. Bella loves her mom but they aren't super close and she loves Sam's mom but once again not super close.

Sue shows up and sits with Leah, then Seth shows up to see her but then he goes back to wait in the maternity wing and this is how it goes for the next couple of hours. Seth comes then Charlie comes but they always go back to Bella. Only Sue stays even with Seth and Charlie begging her to visit Bella.

"Sue you can go. I'll call you at the first sign of change." I tell her and she says no, Bella has plenty of people with her.

"Do you think if Leah wakes up she'll be OK?" I ask her and Sue says she doesn't know, it really depends on Bella and whether or not she ever forgives her.

**Bella is asking for Leah.-Sam **

**She's still out. - Paul**

**I have to tell her, she's going to want to come right now. Do you mind? - Sam **

**Of course not but are you sure it's a good idea? - Paul**

**No. I'm never sure what it a good idea with her. - Sam**

10 minutes later Bella, who looks like crap, comes up to me and slaps me. What the hell?

"You should have told me it was this bad! I would have come to her!" She screams and I feel horrible.

"I thought you hated her Bella." I tell her honestly.

"So did I." She whispers and goes in to sit with Leah. Sue flips out saying she needs to get back to her room.

"Oh shut it Mom, all you care about it Leah and you know it. You haven't even come to visit me." Bella snaps. Oh this is all going so well.

"Bella you know that's not true, but you have Sam and Seth and dad and Embry and Marissa taking care of you. Leah only has me." Sue tells her and Bella starts crying.

"I'm so sorry Mom, I never meant for it to be like this, for her to feel like this, do this. She hurt me more than I've ever been hurt but I still love her."

"You love me?" Leah whispers.

"Oh Lee! I do so much! These last few months have been awful! I'm so sorry! I love you so much!" Bella tells her.

"Sorry too, and I love you." Leah whispers. "You look like crap, are you OK?"

Bella tells her she's fine.

"She's in labor Leah, like needs to be in bed right now labor." Sue tells her.

"Bella please go. Take care of yourself and this baby. I'm fine, I'll see you soon." Leah tells her and Bella is wiping tears from her eyes but she lets Sam lead her away.

Once she leaves Leah asks Sue to leave just for a few minutes, she doesn't want to but she does.

"I'm sorry Paul for everything. I took the pills and then I was lying there thinking and I didn't really want to die but I was so tired, too tired to do anything. I was thinking of you, only you. I love you and I miss you and I want you back. Babies or not I want you. I'm sorry I was horrible to you and that I ignored you and that I accused of you of loving Bella more than me. I'm sorry for everything and I don't want to lose you. Do you still want me?" She asks crying.

"Of course I do, I love you and I've missed you. We'll get through all this together."

3 days later both Leah and Bella are released.


	16. Chapter 16

Leah's POV

"Happy Birthday Justin." I tell him as he runs up to me and hugs my leg; we're close Justin and I. I love Jo-Jo and Luke but Justin and I have a special connection, I think it's because I nearly died the day he was born. I was trying to go to the same place he was trying to leave.

This last year has been hard but I have everyone important in my life back. Paul and I are stronger than ever and Bella and I are back to where we were before. Seth and I are… civil but in the end he's the one that can't completely forgive me.

"Mama! Up!" Luke yells at Bella across the room and she tells him no yelling as she picks him up. She's such a good mom, I feel terrible for being jealous of her.

"Ouch Lukey no!" Bella tells him as he yanks at her necklace. The day she put my necklace back on was the day I knew we were OK. I still hope she gives it to Jo-Jo on her first day of school.

Bella never goes all out with birthdays like some people, it's just family and Jake and Holly who I guess to Bella are family.

Even with just family it's full house. Bella and Sam have decided they are done with babies. But Embry and Marissa have 3 month old Reagan and Emma is due in 2 months with an oops baby but Seth and Emma are excited anyways and 2 days after they found out they flew out to Vegas and got married. Mom and Bella were pissed! Mom because she missed the wedding, Bella because Emma got married in a dress she bought in a store.

They were worried about me finding out she was pregnant but I've had my freak out, I'm happy for them.

"Lee come here for a minute." Bella calls me into the kitchen, I know she wants to talk, that's the only reason she would be calling me into the kitchen. No one is allowed to cook in her kitchen except her and sometimes Paul. I'm not even allowed to cook in my own kitchen. Seriously, Paul cooks or brings food home from the restaurant.

"Justin is having a blast." I tell her as I walk in, it's just us.

"I really want to have a baby for you Lee." She blurts out.

"Bella you don't have to." I tell her and she says she knows.

"I want to Lee and not because I feel like I owe you for anything but because you are an amazing aunt to Jo-Jo, Luke, and especially Justin. And Paul is an amazing uncle to all of them. You two deserve to be parents. Don't be mad but I already talked to him and he says he's all for it if you are. I'm done having babies for me but I love being pregnant and I want to do this. I know you have other options so just consider this OK?" She tells me.

"Sam is OK with this?" I ask her and she says of course. "I will think about then, and talk to Paul. You're sure though?"

"I'm sure. I would do anything for you Lee."

For the rest of the day all I can think about it having a baby, I'm not obsessed anymore and Paul and I have talked about adoption and even surrogacy but nothing really feels right.

This feels right.

"What are thinking about so hard?" Paul asks me as we sit and watch Justin play with all his wrapping paper and toy boxes.

"Bella carrying our baby." I tell him.

"Well?" He asks hopefully and in that moment I know that he wants this just as much as I do.

"I'm going to tell her yes." I whisper and he smiles and whispers I love you. '"I love you too, I'm going to go talk to her now."

Only I can't find her anywhere.

"Sam where is Bella and is Jo-Jo with her?" I ask him since he's in the living room with the rest of the family.

"It's storming Leah where do you think they are?" He asks me like I'm dumb.

"Jo-Jo too?" I ask and he says yep, since she was old enough to look out a window. Luke who is not a fan of the storm is clinging to him.

The first house Sam and Bella lived in was a tiny 2 bedroom because she has used most of her money starting up the restaurant and he's a teacher. Neither of them really cared and probably would have lived there forever in not for the kids. After they found out she was pregnant with Luke they started looking for something bigger but Bella was being so picky, I think she was just holding on to her little house. They gave up for a while until one day Sam came home and told her he bought her a house. She was pissed, threw a huge Bella style fit and refused to see the house until he got her in the car one night and just drove her and Jo-Jo there. She sat in the car while he took Jo-Jo in. Bella is stubborn but Sam learned pretty quickly that he could wait her out. So after 45 minutes she walked in to yell at him to take her home and he said fine but she had to look at one thing, if she still hated it he would sell it as soon as possible. He unlocks a door and leads her through a hall and into her own personal observation tower. Apparently the previous owner was a storm watching freak and had it custom built. Obviously she didn't make him sell it.

"Are you going to let her do it Leah?" Sam asks.

"Do you really think she wants to do it or is she doing it to be nice?" I ask him.

"She really wants to. More than just about anything she wants to." He assures me and I tell him yes then I want to do it. "That's great Leah; you're going to tell her now?" He asks and I say yes.

He smiles and I go through the door, through the hall and up the stairs.

Bella is sitting in the middle of her glass tower in a giant bean bag with Jo-Jo curled up in her lap. I have never seen Jo-Jo so quiet and still outside of sleeping. They are so picture perfect I almost turn around.

"Come sit Lee." Bella says without looking back. Scary. Jo-Jo looks back for a second.

"Isn't it pretty Aunt Lee?" She asks and I say yes it's beautiful even though the storms have never held the appeal to me like they did for Bella and eventually even Seth I think, I just liked being with Bella doing something she loved so much.

"You make all the arrangements and just tell me where to be and when." She's talking to me without looking at me.

"How did you know I was going to say yes?" I ask her.

"You wouldn't have come up here to tell me no." This is true.

"I'll never be able to thank you Bella." I whisper.

"Not that it matters but I was never able to thank you for the night you let me sleep in your bed and every night after, and for giving my your necklace that got me through my first day of school and so many other days, for climbing a tree in a thunderstorm, for telling me it was OK to like Sam even when he was too old, for holding my hand when I gave birth to Jo-Jo and Luke. It's not about needing thanks. It's about me loving Jo-Jo and Luke and Justin so much and wanting my sister to have that. I love you Lee." She's crying and Jo-Jo is patting her back and neither of them has stopped looking out the window. I sit down next to Bella and she lays her head on my shoulder and we sit like that until the storm passes.


	17. Chapter 17

Leah's POV

The next few months are a blur of therapy for Paul and I and Bella and even Sam to make sure everyone is in this together and then hormone treatments for Bella and me and then finally the day comes when we get to see if all this has been worth it.

We've been warned that it may not take the first time but since Bella has 3 kids and she seems to get pregnant pretty easily there is a good chance.

It's just Bella and I at the appointment today since she doesn't feel comfortable being half naked around Paul and Sam felt bad for Paul so they both stayed to watch Jo-Jo, Luke and Justin.

The nurse comes in and takes blood and Bella has to pee in a cup and then we wait. After what seems like forever the doctor comes in and tells us she's pregnant!

Holy crap.

It's too early for a regular ultrasound so they stick one up in her, it's rather creepy, I feel really bad for her actually and we see the babies as the doctor explains.

"Babies?" Bella asks and the doctor explains that yes two of the eggs took. We did 4 because they said the more eggs the greater chance of one taking.

Holy crap. Twins.

"You're going to have twins Lee!" She's so excited for me.

The doctor explains from this point on it's just a normal pregnancy except for the fact that's its twins so just to do what she did the last 3 times, except maybe not work herself to death like she nearly did with Justin.

Once the doctor is done and Bella is dressed and we check out and set the next appointment we stop for lunch before heading home. I think Bella is enjoying her break from real life.

"Bella, this is just so… amazing." I tell her over while we eat and she smiles and says I know!

We finish lunch pretty fast because I can't wait to get home and tell Paul.

We walk in and Jo-Jo and Luke scream mama! And run to her while Justin runs to me.

"So how did it go?" Paul asks trying to make it sound like it's not a big deal.

"We're having twins!"

"Really? So it worked? We're having babies? Twins?" He's in complete shock.

Sam asks Bella if she's feeling OK and I wonder if this is going to be weird for them. Sam is such a good husband and father and when Bella is pregnant he's even more amazing with the moodiness and the cravings and the backrubs and well he's pretty much just perfect.

"Lee what's wrong?" Bella asks.

"Um, it's nothing. Can I talk to Sam alone for a minute?" They all look at me crazy but Bella and Paul take the kids into the kitchen to make them lunch.

"Leah what's wrong?" Sam asks when we're alone.

"Are you sure you're OK with this?" I ask him not that it really matters at this point. "I mean I know Bella gets what Bella wants and you want her to be happy but won't it be weird going through all the pregnancy stuff then not having a baby?"

"I was therapy approved Leah." He jokes. "But seriously I don't know what it's going to be like but the babies aren't mine. They are yours and Paul's and I'm happy for you. But if Bella gets too bitchy I'm sending her to you." I laugh and tell him I will gladly take her.

"Thanks Sam, I still sometimes feel like I don't deserve this, especially from her after everything I said to her." I tell him because I think he's the only one here not obligated to tell me it's all OK.

"You weren't you Leah and everyone makes mistakes. I know you think she's perfect but she's not." He tells me.

"You look at her like she is." I tell him.

"To me she is, I'm pretty sure to the rest of the world she's nuts." Yeah that's probably true.

"Thanks Sam." He hugs me and we go to the kitchen with Bella and Paul. Bella is still extremely messy but now she usually cleans up after herself.

"Are you leaving me for her Sam?" She asks with tears in her eyes when we walk in. Sam and I both stare at her for a minute.

"You're right Bella that was hilarious." Paul says and she starts laughing while Sam and I just look at them like she's crazy.

"Bella I could never leave you, who would take care of the kids during rainy season?" Sam finally asks and Bella says Paul, like it's obvious.

Then Sam kisses her and they seem to forget we exist so Paul grab's the kid's lunches and we take them to the living room to put on a movie to distract them from their suddenly impulsive parents.

Bella pokes her head out of the kitchen and asks if we mind staying for a while and Paul tells her we're taking the kids home, and I tell her I can watch them tomorrow while she's at work since I'm off. Bella and Sam, Embry and Marissa and Seth and Emma have an agreement so that everyone takes turns watching her kids with the promise that she and Sam will do the same. She tells the kids she loves them and runs off.

"Please tell me this is not a pregnancy thing?" Paul laughs and I tell him I think it is.

I will babysit every day for her if she wants me to.


	18. Chapter 18

Bella's in labor and I feel awful for the pain she is going through for me. This whole pregnancy has been so hard for her and I think all the time how unfair it is.

She's screaming at the nurse that she needs drugs so she goes off to get the doctor to sign off on them.

"Lee are you OK with me getting an epidural?" she asks 5 minutes later in tears. She's moody as hell as she has been for the last 7 months.

"Of course I am Bella, do whatever you need to do to be not miserable." I tell her, these may be my babies but it's her freaking body.

After she gets her epidural she starts sobbing uncontrollably and Sam is flipping out because she's crying so hard she can't even tell him what's wrong.

She starts hyperventilating so the nurse gives her something to calm her down and she tells her she knows the babies aren't hers but they've been with her for all this time and the thought of handing them over to anyone, even me and Paul makes her sick and then she tells us both to just go, she wants to be alone. Neither of us wants to go but what choice do we have?

Paul comes shortly after; he had run home to check on the kids after Bella decided that Jake wasn't capable of handling them even though he keeps them a lot.

I start crying to him telling him she's going to try to keep the babies.

"Leah she's hormonal and exhausted. She's not really going to try to keep them." He tells me but in this moment all I can think is Bella gets what Bella wants.

I hear Paul asking Sam why he's not with her and Sam telling him Bella demanded to be left alone.

"Who does she need then? We can't just leave her alone. Marissa? Seth? Embry?" Paul asks Sam and Sam says I don't know, go see if she will talk to you.

So he goes to talk to her while Sam tries to comfort me saying Paul is right and even if she did try they aren't biologically hers, she has no chance.

"This has been so hard on her, and it's all my fault." I tell him.

Then Paul comes out and says Sam can go back in. Great.

"It's going to be fine Leah, as soon as I walked in she said she didn't mean it and she doesn't want to keep them. She only asks that after they are born it's just us and her and Sam in the room for a while and she really wants us to name one Lily." He holds me as I cry into him. I'm this freaking emotional without the hormones, I can't imagine how Bella feels.

"Can I go in?" I ask him and he says yeah, she just wanted a few minutes alone with Sam. "You coming?"

"In a few minutes, she's pretty unstable. Let her talk to you and then I'll come in a little bit." He tells me.

As soon as I walk in she starts saying she's so sorry, she didn't mean it, please don't cut her out of our lives.

"Bella calm down, it's OK. I would never cut you out of my life. I was miserable without you." I tell her and she cries saying thank you.

"Did Paul tell you that I don't want anyone in the room for a while?" she asks and I tell her yes that's fine. Mom will be mad but she'll get over it. "And that I really want you to name one Lily? But you don't have too. I just really like Lily and know you haven't decided on anything, I was going to name Jo-Jo Lily. I don't really know why I didn't. It's not like anyone calls her Jolie. Stupid Jake and his stupid nicknames. Sorry! I'm ranting. I don't even hate Jo-Jo, it fits her. Anyways Lily?" I hope my babies are born soon.

"Yeah we actually like Lily and we had even talked about it but I knew you had thought about it with Jo-Jo and I didn't want you to think I was stealing it."

"What about for the other one?" She asks and I and tell her we still don't know.

Two hours later Lily and her sister are born.

For the first hour it's just the four of us just like Bella wanted. Paul and I get to hold them first and it the best moment in my life.

Sam asks her if she's OK and she says yeah she's fine and she doesn't feel like they are hers but she does think she'll always feel more connected to them than a normal aunt with her nieces.

"She's beautiful Lee, I'm so happy for you, for both of you." She's crying but I know she's happy as she holds baby #2.

"What about Chloe?" Paul asks.

"I like Chloe." I tell him and Bella says hi baby Chloe.

"I think we should let everyone else in now." She says quietly and I tell her only if she's ready. Mom and Dad and Seth and Emma and Paul's mom, Andrea have been waiting since for the last hour or two. Paul told them they didn't have to come and wait since we wanted the time alone first but they came anyway. "I really am." She says so Sam goes out to get them.

He comes back with mom and Andrea; I'm sure as to not overwhelm Bella.

They are cooing and crying and Bella looks so sad, Sam whispers something in her ear as she smiles a little.

After they leave dad and Seth and Emma come in. Seth and I aren't as close as we used to be but Bella forced us to get past not speaking.

After they leave mom comes back with dad. I'm wondering why Embry and Marissa aren't here to see Bella; I know the kids are with Jake. Maybe they have Aubrey, Seth's daughter.

When Bella is distracted I ask Sam and he says she told them not to come because it's supposed to be all about me and Paul.

"Do they want to come?" I whisper and he says yes so I tell him to call them. She'll be happy once they are here. Embry and her aren't best friends like they were in high school with him being with Marissa and her being with Sam but they are still very close, he's like a brother to her and Marissa is one of her best friends. He walks out to call them and Bella freaks out asking where he went. She's a bit clingy sometimes.

"He went to call Embry and Marissa, they want to see you." I tell her and she says no, this isn't about her. "Bella they want to see you and they're coming. And being here is a big part about you, you just gave birth to babies and even if you're not the one taking them home they are part of you. Plus you're the one in the hospital bed. So the people who love you should be able to come."

"Thanks Lee. Sam said we can have another baby!" She's suddenly very happy.

"Is that what he whispered that made you not sad?" I ask her and she says yes. "Bella thank you so much for this. I had given up hope pretty much of ever being a mom. And now I have daughters. You're the best sister in the world."

"You're a pretty great sister too Lee and you're going to be an amazing mom." She holds her arms up and I hug her and we're both crying.

Once official visiting hours are over Sam and Paul go home leaving me and Bella and the babies.

Neither of us sleeps because the babies cry all night and the nurses keep coming in to check on Bella but I'm so happy I don't care and I'm pretty sure she feels the same way.

_A/N I realize that in real life the babies wouldn't have stayed in Bella's room although I'm not sure where they would go since the actual parents wouldn't need to be in the hospital. So this is not real life obviously. _

_Does anyone have any good Sam/Bella stories for me to read? I love Sam and Bella stories. Supernatural or human as long as Bella is human. _


	19. Chapter 19

Leah's POV

Paul just got home and I just got the girls to sleep so we are having a late dinner and I can tell there is something wrong.

"Please tell me what's wrong Paul?" I ask him and he sighs.

"I think Bella is cheating on Sam." Well that is definitely not what I expected.

"No way." I tell him but he looks so convinced I ask him why he thinks this.

"A couple of months ago she hired a new cook." Right Edward, she talks about him a lot. "Edward, he's… flirty and Bella likes him or liked him. They flirted and played around a lot which seemed unBella-like but not really a big deal but then one night he asked her to stay late with him to try some new menu additions and she was all giggly about it and says OK. I tried to stay but Bella was all oh just go home to Lee and the girls so I left. So after that night things are weird with them, he's still flirty but now she's cold to him and tries to avoid him."

"So you assume cheating? She loves Sam. I don't think she would do that to him." I defend her. Sure his story does seem odd but cheating? Not Bella.

"Leah I know you don't want to think that about her, I don't either. But then Seth came in today with the kids because Emma had kept them while Bella was supposed to be working but Bella didn't work at all today. And neither did Edward. Bella never lies about where she's going, especially to Seth." I was going to try saying maybe she just needed a break and really wanted Emma to keep them but we both know that Emma would have kept them anyways. Bella and Sam keep Aubrey all the time we they want to go out or whatever.

"I just don't think she would do that to him. She's loved Sam her whole life." I tell him.

"Maybe that's the problem Leah, she's only ever been with him. I love you but I can't imagine you being my only relationship experience."

"Yeah and all the crap I went through made me realize how great you really are. But I still just don't know."

Paul convinces me to just try to talk to her about it and figure out why she went from flirty to cold.

So they next day Seth comes over to stay with the girls while I meet Bella for lunch. I could have taken them but lunch out with 2 six months olds is not very much fun.

I meet Bella at the restaurant and ask for table 20 like always. She's already sitting there with a notebook scribbling into it.

"Hey Lee where are the girls?" She asks and I tell them Seth offered to keep them for a couple of hours. She smiles probably because Seth and I don't talk a whole lot.

We talk for a while and eat and I cannot figure out how I am supposed to figure out if she's cheating. I can't exactly just ask her.

"Do you know why Paul is acting weird around me?" She finally asks.

"Yes." I tell her and she looks at me like well… "He thinks you're cheating on Sam." I tell her cautiously.

She sits there for a minute thinking.

Then she whispers it was only one time.

Oh crap. This is so bad. If he leaves her she won't be able to handle it.

Bella comes off as the super strong independent woman but she's not. She… how do I put this? She feeds off of those who love her. Growing up it was Seth and I and even Jake and Embry. Now it is mostly Sam. I didn't realize this until recently when Paul had mentioned it but it's so true and obvious once you see it. Without Sam, Bella won't be Bella.

"Why?" I ask her.

"I don't really know. He's so flirty and touchy and I liked the attention. Not that I don't get enough attention from Sam or anything I do. Sam is amazing and I love him so much but it's just all so routine now. I've loved Sam since I was 13; I know everything there is to know about him. And no other man has really paid attention to me and I liked it. So I flirted back and then he asked me to stay one night and I was drinking wine and I think I drank a little too much wine, which I shouldn't have even been drinking since I'm pregnant but I didn't know that then or I never would have. But I was drunk, so Edward was like let me take you home so your husband doesn't see you like this and at the time it seemed like a good idea because Sam hates it when I get drunk, even if it's only been a few times but then… well I don't think you need all the details do you? I woke up the next morning in his bed, next to him and I felt so horrible. I am a terrible person. And I thought… I should tell Sam but I am so afraid to lose him Lee. But I guess I have to tell him now. I won't let him be the last to know or hear it from someone else. And if Paul figured it out I'm sure others have too." She's rambling and crying and I have no idea what to say to her.

She cheated and she's pregnant. At least the baby is Sam's since she said she shouldn't have been drinking since she was pregnant. She's wrong about no other man paying her attention. Ever since middle school boys then men paid her attention but her mind was always on Sam.

I used to be somewhat jealous of all the attention she got but recently I figured all that out too. Sure she's beautiful and she's an amazing person but more than that she gives off this I need someone to take care of me vibe. She would have been so easy to take advantage of if her mind hadn't always been on Sam. Not that Seth or I or Jake or Embry would have let it happen easily. It would have just been harder to keep from happening.

"Lee are you listening to me?" She snaps and I mumble sorry as I come out of my thoughts. "Can you keep Justin tonight? I'll find someone else to keep Jo-Jo and Luke so it's not too much for you." She asks and I tell her yes of course but what is she doing tonight.

She huffs in annoyance that I obviously wasn't listening and tells me she's telling Sam tonight.

"Please tell Paul I might be in late or not be in at all tomorrow. I really want to work this out if at all possible." She says sadly and I tell her yes that's fine.

I tell her I don't mind keeping all 3 of the kids and I will pick them up from Marissa and I will keep them as long as she needs me tomorrow.

"Thank you Lee, I love you. Thank you for not judging me." She hugs me still crying as we walk to the car.

I feel kind of guilty because I am totally judging her in my mind.

_A/N Should Sam forgive Bella or not? _


	20. Chapter 20

Leah's POV

I pick up Bella's kids stop and get lunch for them and Seth and then head home. Seth is sitting on the floor with the girls crawling over him.

The kids run to him and he hugs them then they run off to play in the backyard, so much for lunch.

"How was lunch?" He asks as I hand him his food.

"Oh it was great, did you know Bella was pregnant?" I ask him and he says no. "Did you know she cheated on Sam with Edward the cook?" I ask him and he says no way. "She told me Seth, it's true. That's why I have the kids, she's telling him tonight."

And then Seth flips out saying why would I let her tell him? He's going to leave her and she's going to fall apart.

"Um I wasn't going to tell her not to do the right thing. I wouldn't have told her to tell him either. It's her decision but she's doing the right thing. Wouldn't you want to know if Emma was cheating on you?" I ask him.

"Yes, so I could leave her!" He yells at me and then apologizes for yelling. "You're right Lee, it is the right thing. I just don't like her hurt. But if he leaves her we'll take care of her, just like we always have. The girls were awesome today; I really want to spend more time with them and you. I've never said it but I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I love you Lee. Let me know if you need anything, see you later."

I walk him out then take the girls in the backyard to watch the others.

Seth is right, if Sam leaves Bella she will fall apart and we'll be there for her but I don't know if we'll be enough.

Paul comes home a couple of hours later and makes dinner, we feed all the kids, let them watch a movie then put them to bed. Luke and Justin sleep in the guest room and Jo-Jo sleeps on the floor in the girl's room. I offered her the couch, she picked the floor.

"Aunt Lee, is Mommy mad at Daddy?" She asks and I think oh crap.

"I don't think so why?" I ask her.

"Well because Mommy used to always stay home on the weekends but lately she works on the weekends and when they are together they hardly talk. And Daddy never gets mad at Mommy." Until tonight I think. I didn't even think about what this would do to the kids, just Bella. Sam is a good man, he's patient and forgiving and he loves Bella and the kids so much. So maybe he can get over this one mistake? I really hope he can but at the same time I wouldn't blame him if he couldn't.

"I don't know Jo-Jo, Mommy is just going through some stuff." I can't even tell her but it will all be OK.

"Because she's pregnant?" Damn.

"She told you?"

"No, but I hear her throwing up and she's snappy with Justin when he's just being a kid and it all started a couple of months ago. I'm not stupid Aunt Lee." No, but everyone else is I guess.

"I know Jo-Jo but nobody else seems to know." I tell her and she says oh, daddy knows and Lukey too. And Justin knows but I'm not sure he knows what it means.

"Does you mom know you all know?" I ask her and she says she doesn't think so because Sam told them all not to say anything to her.

Secrets are so much fun. At least Sam knows she's pregnant so even if she decides to leave that small detail out he will take it into consideration.

Even if he's pissed and can't forgive her he's not heartless. He's perfect. At least for Bella.

After I leave Jo-Jo to sleep Paul and I turn on a movie and talk about Bella and when it's over he drags me to bed. I think I'm too worried to sleep but I guess not since Paul is shaking me and saying Leah, Leah wake up Bella is crying on the couch.

Still half asleep I just stare at him. He tells me he tried to comfort her but she's just crying and not talking and like any man he doesn't really know what to do with crying women. Finally I wake up enough to go to her.

I sit down next to her and she lays her head in my lap and just keeps crying.

"Bella please tell me what happened." I whisper and she shakes her head no and manages to say tomorrow. "OK then do you want me to sleep out here with you?" I ask her but Paul comes out and says no take her to our bed and sleep with her in there. I'm glad he loves her like I do. Most men would be annoyed especially since the reason she's here is cheating. Paul loves Bella but he's good friends with Sam too.

I grab her hands and yank her up and lead her to the bed where she collapses then I lay next to her and hold her while she cries until she falls asleep.

Sometime after I fall asleep Jo-Jo and Justin curl up in the bed with us.


	21. Chapter 21

Leah's POV

I wake up to the sound of banging in the kitchen so Bella must be up. I walk into the kitchen to see Bella and Paul and her kids making breakfast with the girls sitting in their high chairs eating cheerios. Bella looks completely different than she did last night and I want to ask her about everything but I can't with the kids in here.

Justin runs up to me and holds his arms up for me to pick him up then tells me they are making chocolate chip pancakes and bacon and eggs with cheese in them. He's all excited so I play excited but for some reason it sounds disgusting.

"Hey sleepy head, how do you sleep through Chloe screaming her head off down the hall?" Bella asks me amused and I just shrug because I never sleep through the girls crying. I've just been sleeping really hard lately.

After every eats their breakfast and I push mine around on my plate with Paul looking at me weird Bella sends the kids outside so we can talk, Paul takes the girls and follows them.

"I told him everything Lee, from the flirting to the one night to me feeling bored and being pregnant. And he was hurt, so hurt. I wish he would have yelled at me or something but he just said I need time Bella; I'm going to go stay with Embry for the night. I told him he could stay I would come here and then he begged me not to go because I was crying. He actually dropped me off here last night. I cheat on him and he brings me to you because he's worried. I screwed up Lee. Sam is so good, so much better than me, so much better than I deserve and I screwed up so bad." Uh yeah she did.

"Bella maybe the fact that he just said he needed time is a good thing. He's smart enough to not say something out of anger that he would regret. He loves you." I tell her knowing that love might not be enough.

All the sudden I feel sick so I run to bathroom, puke then come back out to Bella.

"Are you pregnant Lee?" She asks seriously.

"Pretty sure I'm not." After I quit the drugs my doctor told me there is an extremely small chance of me getting pregnant naturally but I don't have that kind of luck.

"You just puked up breakfast you didn't eat and you slept through me ringing your doorbell last night and then crying hysterically on your couch, Chloe screaming bloody murder this morning and then me and Paul and all the kids making breakfast. That's very deep sleeping Lee and you are not a very deep sleeper. Do you use protection because I know you're not on birth control? Oh do your boobs hurt?" Sad to super excited. Damn pregnancy mood swings.

We don't use protection; there isn't really a need for it. My boobs don't hurt, I have been really tired though and not hungry. Moody? Maybe. Paul would be able to answer that better. I don't cry all the time or anything.

"Lee just take a test. It can't hurt right?" Says the girl who gets pregnant every time she has sex. It's a good thing she was pregnant when she slept with Edward.

"Bella it's like a 1% chance of me being pregnant. I don't want to take a chance and get a test and then be disappointed." I try to convince her and myself.

"But you need to know if you are! With all the issues you've had you need to know even sooner probably. Please Lee?" She begs and it annoys the crap out of me but I tell her fine, let's go.

"Whose at the restaurant today?" I ask her once we get in the car and she says Paul then laughs because Paul is obviously not there; he's at home with all the kids. Usually she would be flipping out either her or Paul are always at the restaurant, she doesn't trust anyone else. "Aren't you worried about it?" I ask her.

"I might lose my husband and you might be pregnant. Right now I don't give a damn about the restaurant. I'm thinking about selling it, do you think Paul wants to buy it? Or maybe not buy it but run it full time for so much of the profit? I don't know really how all that even works. Jake does all my financial stuff. I could sell it too him for what I bought it for. We don't need the money. Jake invests for us too, we're doing really well plus I have my store which makes decent money but a lot of it has to go to the girls I pay to sew the stuff but if I wasn't always at the restaurant then I could sew a lot of it myself. So do you think Paul wants to buy it?" She's rambling and I don't even think she realizes we're at the store.

"What is this really about?" I ask her because she loves her restaurant like she loves her kids.

"I lied to you yesterday. I don't get the attention I need from Sam but it's not Sam's fault, it's mine. I'm there so much and I know it's my fault because I only trust myself and Paul and I can't make Paul be there all the time, he's probably there too much as it is so I feel like it has to be me. I don't think I can keep it and not spend so much time there. And it's not just me and Sam who are suffering. Justin called Marissa mama the other day and he throws a fit anything he has to leave Marissa or Emma." She's crying and I hate that I can't make her feel better.

"Did you talk to Sam about all this?" She says no she talked to Sam about screwing her cook, it didn't come up. Sarcastic bitch.

"Go get me a test." I demand and she glares at me but gets out. I want to be involved in this process as little as possible. 5 minutes later she's back with 3 tests, just in case. In case what? I can't manage to pee on a stick?

We get home and Paul is still outside with the kids so she drags me to the bathroom to pee on the stick and then I leave her telling her when it's negative we pretend this never happened.

I go outside with Paul and a few minutes later she comes bouncing outside.

"Lee you remember 5 minutes ago when you told me I could never talk about something again?" She asks and I roll my eyes and Paul looks at me like what is she talking about? "Well you're wrong. I'm going to be talking about it a lot for a very long time."

"It wasn't negative?" I ask her quietly still not wanting to get too excited.

"What wasn't negative?" Paul asks and Bella says Lee's pregnancy test.

"Are you serious?" He asks her and she shakes her head yes smiling.

I'm in shock until Paul kisses me and I burst into tears.

Holy crap. Paul asks me if I'm OK and I tell him yes, I'm OK, more than OK. He smiles and kisses me again while Bella bounces off to play with the kids.


	22. Chapter 22

Leah's POV

It's been one week since Bella told Sam she cheated on him. She won't call him because he needs time and space and she wants to give him that. After 3 days Embry came to see her and to bring her and the kids some stuff and he told her Sam just needs time to not be so angry before they see each other. He told her Sam doesn't hate her, he loves her and he needs her. Bella cried for hours after he left.

But then she got up and made lunch for everyone and spent the rest of the day with the kids, something she rarely does. She loves her kids, but she's always at the restaurant or processing orders or taking care of the house or doing something. Sam is constantly trying to get her to relax and just hang out with him and the kids. When she was pregnant with Justin she worked herself to near exhaustion and her doctor put her on bed rest.

She hasn't been to the restaurant since that night, Paul is taking care of everything but he's not always there and she hasn't even asked who's there when he's not.

The day after that she kept the girls so Paul and I could go to my first doctor appointment. I'm about 12 weeks along meaning Bella and I are due just about a week apart.

My house is clean, I nap every afternoon and Justin clings to his mom like she's his new best friend. Bella is happier too which is strange but I guess Bella has never been normal. I know she misses Sam, so I think it's just not being so stressed about running the restaurant.

Sam finally called her this morning and asked if he could pick her up and take her to lunch and she of course says yes and then spends two hours getting ready. Because Sam is going to care what she looks like… As an afterthought she asks if I will keep the kids and of course I say yes. Though if she leaves I will miss my clean house and naps.

He picks her up and he looks damn good, apparently Bella wasn't crazy spending so much time getting ready. He comes in to see all the kids and after promising them they can come home tonight they leave. I wonder what he means by that and I can tell Bella does too. Is he taking the kids for the weekend or is he taking her too?

Once they leave I put the twins and Justin down for a nap and Jo-Jo, Luke and I paint and bake cookies, the kind you just separate and bake, that's about my limit.

Time drags because I am so anxious to know what's going on. After we bake cookies and watch a movie and the little kids wake up they finally come home. Sam comes into the backyard where the kids are now playing and sits down next to me and picks up Lily so I ask him where Bella is.

"Packing, she's coming home with me. Thank you Leah for taking of her and helping with the kids this week." He tells me.

"You're forgiving her just like that?" As soon as I say it I feel bad because it's not like I want to talk him out of it. I'm just surprised; I thought maybe they would take some time apart or something.

"I love her Leah, she made a huge mistake and she should have told me but she's Bella. She's insecure and easy to take advantage of. He said all the right things at exactly the right time, just when she was starting to feel like she needed that extra attention and she fell for it. But she gets she screwed up and she feels awful. It's not all her fault, I should have been paying more attention to her, I should have asked her to not work so much, and I should have stopped her when she started working weekends. I know her; I should have known something was wrong." I start to tell him this is not his fault but he keeps talking. "I'm not saying she's not to blame, she is. I'm really just saying I love her too much to give her up for one mistake, no matter how big it is. If she ever does it again then I wouldn't be able to get past it but I believe her when she says she won't."

"You are an amazing man Sam." I tell him almost in shock.

"You're pretty amazing too Leah. Congratulations on the pregnancy." He smiles and I tell him thank you. "She's so happy for you, maybe even happier than she is about being pregnant. The babies will be practically the same age. Holidays will be fun."

"Holidays will be crazy." I laugh thinking about it. Holidays and birthdays are already crazy but fun.

"She wants to sell the restaurant to Paul. Or just let him run it. Basically whatever Jake and you and Paul decide. She's never been good at the business side of things. Would you be OK with it?" He asks and I tell him yes because Paul loves the restaurant and without Bella running things I think he could run it but not have to be all the time like they both are now. He's not nearly as obsessive as she is.

Then he asks if I think she will really be OK with it and I tell him I think so because she hasn't been there all week and she's a lot happier and less stressed.

"Wow, I kind of figured she was there all the time."

"Nope, when she wasn't crying she was cleaning and cooking and playing with the kids. Justin has been clinging to her, like she's going to disappear. I think her selling will be good for everyone." I assure him.

"Did she cry a lot?" He asks and I look at him like he' crazy, of course she cried a lot.

"You're her life Sam and she thought you would never forgive her, even after Embry came and told her you didn't hate her. You're her life and she thought she lost you." I tell him and right then Bella comes out telling him she's all packed up as she sits next to me and picks up Chloe.

She asks me if I want her to stay and make dinner since Paul is working and I look at Sam and he nods yes and I tell her sure thanks.

After dinner they pack up all the kids in the car and Bella hugs me good bye and tells me thank you for letting her stay the week.

They drive off into what is hopefully the rest of their happily ever after.


	23. Chapter 23

Bella's POV

My baby girl is turning 10 today. Well my baby girls. Nattie and Erin are inseparable so the party is a joint party. They were born 12 hours apart.

Jo-Jo and Aubrey and the twins are outside with the horse while Justin and Luke and Reagan play video games.

Sam and Paul are barbequing while I finish up the cake with Leah watching me and talking about something Nattie and Erin did at her house the other day. Nattie is boy crazy while Erin lives in her own little world. I'm glad Erin is mine, I got the boy crazy one in Jo-Jo, she is Sam's worst nightmare.

Seth's youngest daughter Amber walks in and asks if she can help so I give her some sprinkles and she puts way too many and Leah is cracking up at the look on my face. She pretty much just ruined my perfect cake.

"Tell me a story Aunt Lee." Amber demands.

"What story?" She asks her.

"The one about the night Uncle Paul asked you to marry him." She says excitedly. She's only 6 but I can tell she's going to be boy crazy already. Always asking about how all of us found each other and all about our wedding and all that. She's such a sweetheart. Lee tells her the story and she smiles and then asks about my prom and then finally how Seth met Emma.

"OK Amber go ask Uncle Sam how long dinner is going to take." I tell her as I set her down and she runs off.

"Why are you crying Bella?" Lee asks me.

"I hate when she asks for stories about me. I feel like it gives her false hope. I was lucky; I mean what are the chances of meeting your future husband as young as I did? And then I was a terrible mother and terrible wife and a terrible sister. I could have lost Sam and you and it's amazing the kids even still like me."

"Um, wow. Dramatic much? Where is this coming from? Shit you're not pregnant are you?" Lee asks me and I laugh.

"No, not pregnant. Just seeing Amber think we're all perfect makes me sad. Her heart is pure but one day it will shatter." I tell her sadly.

"Our hearts aren't shattered Bella, they've been broken but never shattered. True love is too strong for that. My love for you and Paul and you're love with Sam. I think that's what Amber sees, one day she'll hear the rest of our story but it's the love that really matters."

Then Amber comes running in saying 10 minutes for dinner so we start getting everything set up.

Even though this is their birthday Nattie and Erin let Amber go first for food, then later cake and they even let her help open the presents. They adore her as the baby of the family. They've already told me they will give her the necklace on her first day of school. I gave it to Jo-Jo, she gave it to Aubrey, Aubrey gave it to Lily and Chloe and they gave it Nattie and Erin.

Lee's right, true love is strong and our family has tons of it. True love makes people think about movie love but that love is a lie.

True love isn't about finding the happily ever after, it's the man you fall in love with when you're barely old enough to understand love. The man who waits for you to be old enough, the man who forgives you for cheating, the man who is too good for you but loves you anyways.

True love is loving your kids and doing everything you can to make sure they are safe and happy.

True love is loving your mom even if she wasn't always the greatest mom.

True love is a sister who climbs a tree for you in a thunderstorm and gives you the necklace her dead dad gave her because you're scared on your first day of school. True love is a sister who gives up her crush because you tell her you love him. True love is the sister who would do anything for you.

I know Lee was sometimes jealous of me because I seemed to get everything I wanted but what I don't think she realized was everything I had was because of her. Growing up anytime I would tell her I wanted something she would tell me I could have it if I worked for it. So I did.

Lee is the one that convinced me I'm worth loving after my mother did everything she could to break me. She's the reason I kept loving Sam even though I was too young. She's the reason I had kids.

She's the reason I have everything I have and she's the reason I am who I am.

_The End_

_Thank you for reading and reviewing! _

_I have a question… I am having a really hard time with my 3 unfinished stories though I will finish them; it might just take some time… I have started a new Bella story though and I'm wondering if I should post it as I write it or write it out completely before I post. How do you prefer to read stories? Posted daily or posted whenever the chapter is written? _


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